Disastrous Meeting
by Leesulah
Summary: A clash between Shinigami and Espada brought upon an unforeseen death no one expected. One soul caught between a raging war between two planes of life; Never again to know what "normality" is. Nothing was ever meant to happen like this... WILL BE REVISED.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Before I start.. This is my first fanfic so please give me constructive criticism! Other than that, have fun reading this chappie!

This is a chapter is like a teaser to see how well it will do.

This fanfic is dedicated to my best friend Megan. Don't you dare pinch my cheeks if you are reading this!

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**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own anything about these two very wonderful stories. Only the plot I so lovingly created. Why do people even need to do disclaimers anyway? It won't even help in the event that you do get sued.

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 1

The Meeting

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"Oh, you make me so mad, InuYasha!" Kagome angrily spat, taking her rage out on a harmless field of pansies. She heard a young voice calling out to her from the other side of the field and instantly felt guilty. "I'm sorry, Shippo... but I've gotta get away for a while. I'll be back soon!" She yelled out the last part mainly for the little kitsune kit's reassurance. After that, she continued her tantrum to portal to the present time- the well.

Taking a moment to quickly scan the area to check for an annoying dog-eared male, the miko nodded to herself satisfyingly when she found no trace of him. She leaped into the well and a soft blue light greeted her as she fell through the bone-covered dirt at the bottom. _Hmph. As if he would come after me anyways, _Kagome thought. Hauling herself out of the well, she quickly opened the doors to the shed that kept the well and jogged over to her home. She slipped inside quietly, whispering a quick "tadaima" (I'm home) to an empty house. Her family was currently visiting her aunt in Osaka and she had gotten left behind as she had been fighting her butt off in the Feudal Era at the time.

Still angry, Kagome stomped up the stairs to her room, literally slamming the door off its hinges when she reached it. She threw herself onto her pink bed and, in a fit, punched at her pillow furiously.

"Ugh! InuYasha, go get yourself killed by Sesshoumaru!" The angry priestess screamed into her beaten pillow. "I can't believe you would say that!"

FLASHBACK

"You…wench! You were all over that damn Kouga! I can't stand the stench of that flea-bitten wolf! Stay away from me!" Yelled a certain hanyou, backing away from Kagome. Currently, the Inu-tachi had finished their fight with Juuromaru and Kageromaru, and were now patching up their wounds at Kaede's hut. Now, to add to the already tense atmosphere left behind from Kouga blowing through, Inuyasha was arguing heatedly with Kagome.

"Fine! If you don't want me to heal your wounds then I'll be leaving!" Fumed Kagome.

"Good!" InuYasha turned his nose up in the air haughtily. "Then get movin'!"

"I am!" She retorted.

He squinted at her with fake scrutiny and snorted, "I don't see ya movin'!"

The miko's right eye twitched furiously in anger as he continued on.

"Stop stallin' and get going ya-"

"Siiiiiit!" Screamed Kagome.

_Slam!_ Inuyasha was suddenly listing off his impressive vocabulary into Kaede's dirt floor as Kagome rushed out of the old miko's hut and into the vast forest.

PRESENT

Kagome punched out her anger repeatedly into the mushy pillow until it dawned on her that she forgot her toiletries bag at Kaede's.

"Agh! Why does this always happen to me!" Cried Kagome. "I might as well try to sneak back and get them without Inuyasha noticing." With that, the blue and black haired teenager ran out of her house, heading towards the well shed while grumbling indignantly.

Suddenly, a huge explosion erupted, startling her from her angry musings. She whipped her head around, trying to find the cause. A dark shadowy circle growing on the ground rapidly caught the corner of her eye and Kagome watched in dumb shock before it registered to her that something was falling right above her. Looking up quickly, a large whitish-blue blur greeted her sight, speeding downward at a dizzying spiral.

Shock settled into her body, rendering the miko completely immobile as the object continued on its fatal descent towards her.

"What..." Was all she could choke out before the distorted figure made impact. A suffocating darkness took over and she knew no more.

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Somewhere in the Feudal Era, Naraku noticed Kagome's aura disappear.

"Kukuku… Well, now that that insufferable miko is gone, I can finally put my plans in motion…" he muttered darkly while gazing into Kanna's mirror.

Kagura cursed as she listened through the thin paper wall that separated her from Naraku. "Damn... there went my only chance to kill Naraku once and for all... The only one left is Kikyo, and she can't even purify anymore..." She slid down to the floor silently and took out one of her feathers. "Well... I guess we'll just have to do this the hard way. I'll lead InuYasha and his gang here, then kill Akago."

With a sense of finality, she stood up and was off to search the lands for the Inu-tachi.

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A/N: Eh, this is the first chapter rewritten- for the most part. I left some parts of the original chapter unchanged. I thought that the original was a pile of poop and needed to be rewritten. Well, this and the rest of the chapters up until chapter 12... So, I'll be doing A LOT of replacing.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Second Chapter! Yay! So soon too….lol. I am happy to announce that I have officially gotten a beta! Thank you so much hono-chan! XD

sousie: Here's the update… Hope this chappie and I live up to your expectations!

Without further ado… presenting… Chapter Dos!

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DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach. I also do not own the lines I used from the Bleach. (They are only used in the beginning) Only this weird fanfic is mine!

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 2

Enter: Toshiro Hitsugaya

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"I'll release…and take you all on," Luppi challenged cockily as he unsheathed his zanpakuto.

Toshiro dashed towards him, face set in a snarl. "_I won't let you_!" Matsumoto, Ikkaku, and Yumichika looked at him, shock clearly written on their faces as he yelled, "_Bankai!_ _Daiguren Hyôrinmaru!_" Ice formed around the young taicho, molding into icy blue crystallized wings and a long, curling, whiplike tail.

Luppi watched him speed closer and closer, a mocking look on his face. "Strangle him…_Trepadora_!" Light shone from where she was standing mid-air.

"Hmph!" Toshiro grunted, positioning his zanpakuto at the ready in front of his chest. Blindingly fast, a wide tentacle burst from the pouring light. Quickly, the small captain folded his icy wings to encircle him just as the white appendage reached him. The white tentacle collided with him, pushing him back several feet as he fought to keep his feet steady on the sky and slowly came to a halt.

"What's wrong? Is that it? That's your release attack?" Toshiro taunted brazenly, looking down his nose at the androgynous arrancar.

"Haha! Good job! I really didn't think you could stop it. You sure surprised me! You captains aren't too shabby. But…" the Sexta Espada murmured amusedly as the misty light started to clear, "What if that attack…were eight times stronger?" The mist cleared finally, revealing Luppi. His toothy hollow mask fragment had wrapped back around his head to form a bony cowl. He also had eight white tentacles coming out of a shell attached to his back.

"Eight…times?" the taicho said with disbelief in his glaring eyes. Before he could react, seven sharp tentacles had descended upon him. _Boom!_ A cloud of dust exploded from where he was last seen as the tentacles slammed into him, shards of his wings shattering from impact.

"_Taicho_!" screamed Matsumoto, panic stricken at seeing the sight of her captain and friend falling.

"K-kuso…"groaned Toshiro through clenched teeth, rapidly approaching the ground. Pieces of his icy white wings and tail fell off at a faster rate, raining down on the ground below.

"See?" said the feminine arrancar smugly, turning from the scene of the falling captain to face the rest of Toshiro's group, "I told you to fight me four against one! Oh. Sorry. I mean…four against eight." He held a cloth–covered hand in front of his face, barely hiding his smirk.

As Toshiro fell rapidly towards the ground, he peered over the edge of his eroding wings, trying to catch a glimpse of his landing spot. He blinked as a Shinto shrine with a vast forest wrapping snuggly around it came within his line of vision. His eyes widened in horror as he saw a human female running across the grounds, directly below him. 'No…' he thought with dread as he saw her turn her face up in time to see him just about to collide with her. Right as he reached her, Toshiro heard the young woman breathe out,

"What…"

He smashed into her with a sickening squish and thud. He froze there for a while, the horror of what had just transpired sinking in. The only sound reaching his ears were the drips of blood pooling slowly under what remained of his icy wings. Quickly, he jumped off the girl and took a step back to look at the damage he had done. What he saw filled him with tremendous guilt.

Her chest and abdomen were completely caved in, in a bloody mess. Her legs were nowhere to be seen, probably hanging off a tree in the forest surrounding the girl's home. When he saw her face, his breath caught. 'She's beautiful…' he thought in bittersweet amazement as he gazed at her face, miraculously untouched from the impact. She had slightly wavy black hair that shined blue in the sunlight. Her eyes, though dull with death, were an elegant sea blue color. She also had a slightly curved nose and her lips were cutely crooked. Her skin was paling quickly from the lack of blood circulation, but he could see that she originally had slightly peach tan skin. When he was done looking at her, he looked to the side of her and saw her soul slowly peeling herself off the ground after being thrown out of her body. Her chain was detached from her body too, he noted. 'I need to get her to Soul Society before her chain completely encroaches.' Toshiro thought.

"Ngghh…what…happened…?" groaned Kagome, sliding her eyes open painfully. She glanced to the left of her and reeled back in shock at seeing a strangely dressed teenage boy with blood dripping off wings that were sculpted of ice, staring horrified at her. 'Wait…My blood?' she screamed in her mind. She continued to stare at him and began to notice his features. 'Serious teal eyes with eyebrows set in a scowl, bleach white messy yet spiky hair with a bang hanging in his face, and pale skin,' she thought as she scrutinized him, 'he reminds me of winter…'

That's when she looked down and noticed a black linked chain attached to a partially opened hole in her chest. 'What the heck?' she thought in shock, gaze fixed upon the chain in grim fascination. Suddenly, mouths with rows of large, jagged teeth seemed to emerge from the links, gnawing away at her chain. 'What…what's happening to me?' she screamed in her mind, staring until they disappeared once more. The only evidence they had ever been there was the absence of link they had devoured. She then proceeded to look down at her dead body, and what she saw was nothing pleasant. The miko screeched and shut her eyes tightly, trying hard not to stare at her once whole body. Kagome looked back up at the wintery boy, desperately averting her eyes from the carnage and panicking slightly from head rush.

She fixed him with teary, panicked eyes, "What is this? Are you the one who crashed into me?"

Toshiro didn't answer her, trying to figure out her unfamiliar type of reiatsu. 'What is this feeling? It's definitely not of a normal shinigami's reiatsu… It's almost as powerful as a lieutenant's!' he exclaimed mentally, shocked that a normal human could have this much power.

"Well? Are you going to answer me?" Kagome nearly shrieked, irked that she was being ignored.

"Yes, sorry," He said, snapping out of his awed daze. "To answer your questions, yes I am the one who crashed into you and that chain hanging off of your chest is what is called,_ Inga no Kusari, _or the Chain of Fate. It is a chain that binds souls to their living bodies. However, yours is broken off because your soul is no longer attached to your body due to your death," he continued, despite her appalled expression, "If you stay a couple days longer like this, your chain will completely encroach, the eating of your chain you experienced earlier, and you will turn into a hollow." The white haired taichou explained in a monotone voice, face set back into its default frown.

"What is a…hollow?" Kagome inquired, unfamiliar with the term.

"A hollow is a soul that has lost their heart to despair, or has lingered too long in the human world and the encroachment of their chain has turned them into a dark and hostile creature, a hollow." Toshiro elaborated hurriedly, standing up straight, "I will explain more to you later when I have time, right now I have to go back and fight that damn espada." He muttered menacingly. "Wait right here and do not move. I will return shortly," he ordered firmly as he jumped into the air, wings and tail reforming from thin air.

"Well…might as well watch…" Kagome muttered as she mulled over all that was explained to her. 'Hollows? Chain of Fates? What is all this? Am I really…dead?' the miko pondered, 'I don't want to turn into a hollow…' imagining a gruesome creature with fangs that looked similar to a gargoyle.

She shivered at that image then turned her attention back to the sky. Immediately, she noticed that the white-haired boy had stretched tendrils of ice up to freeze what looked like a shell on the back of a young man with short black hair, wearing an odd, open sided uniform with baggy sleeves. He was holding three other people by long white tentacles. Thick ice pillars suddenly surrounded the oddly dressed person on all sides, as if they were bars to a cage. The pillars slammed together noisily, effectively eliminating his tentacles and letting the captives down.

"Wow…" Kagome breathed, impressed with his display. "That's some power he's got there… I wonder what it is. It's nothing like InuYasha's or Sesshōmaru's power…" she observed. Right after she finished that thought, black slits appeared in the sky and a beam of light emitted from it. "What the heck?" she exclaimed incredulously, staring up at the beam of light. The light eroded the icy prison and the man was pulled away from it, disappearing into the slit in the sky, which closed up seamlessly, leaving not a trace of disturbance. "Well, that was… weird." declared Kagome suddenly, still trying to make sense of what had just happened. T he boy turned from the disappearing beam and promptly disappeared, reappearing in front of her nearly the same second. The miko jumped back in surprise and shrieked.

"What the hell! You scared the pants off me!" she yelled at him in indignation. She turned to the side and stuck her bottom lip out angrily before asking reluctantly, "Ne… What was that beam of light?"

He smirked at her angry face before replying, "Well if you must know, that was what was called a _negación_. It is what a higher level of hollows called Menos, use to rescue their comrades in an indestructible beam of light." He explained. "Now, I need to take you to Soul Society, the place where souls go after they die," he clarified before she started asking questions again, "before your chain encroaches, and you hollowfy." He said, drawing his sword once more. He thrust it forward into an unseen lock and shoji doors appeared out of nowhere. Elegant and delicate-looking black butterflies fluttered around as the doors slid open. Toshiro's companions appeared on either side of Kagome, shocking her once more. He motioned for her to follow as he stepped through into the darkness that lay beyond the doors. She hesitated, looking back at her house, her body, and the well.

'InuYasha and my family will come and see this! How can just leave them behind to mourn while I help myself?' she thought grimly. She was about to make up her mind and stay, when she remembered just what the boy had said before.

"If you stay in this state for several days, your chain will completely encroach and you will become a hollow."

She turned back around, a tear slipping down her translucent cheek. 'I'll come back when I get back to normal.' "Wait for me," she whispered sorrowfully, following the shinigami through the shoji doors into the awaiting darkness. As she disappeared, the doors slid shut behind her and the gate was gone; as though it was never there.

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A/N: …That had to be the longest thing I've ever typed in my life. Ever. Ah, well, *stretches* I'm finally done with chapter two! *Squeal!* Thanks for reading! Danke! Grazie! ¡Gracias! Arigatō! Спасибо! See you next chapter, todos ustedes!

So…I hope you enjoyed editing and reading this hono-chan! Thanks for editing it again after I made some quick changes to Kagome's demeanor!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Heh heh, It's Chapter 3! :D Finally… I hope everyone's happy with how fast I'm updating. One can only hope…

Ah, well, I enjoy writing this story. I have no idea what's going to happen next. I'm as clueless as you readers are! XD

Thanks for editing hono-chan…It means a lot to me!

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DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot.

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 3

Soul Society

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As Kagome walked out of the senkaimon, the first thing she noticed was that all the buildings were white and there was a humongous wall that encircled the entire city.

"That's a pretty big wall you got there. What's it used for?" Kagome asked. She noticed surrounding villages that looked like slums on the outside walls, and wondered if they were keeping the people in the villages out of the inside city.

"It's used for keeping out intruders and enemies," snorted Toshiro, "what else would it be used for?" Kagome was affronted at his frank rudeness. 'Well then! Wonder who shoved that stick up his butt!'

"I was just asking! Mou*, you don't need to treat me like I'm some dolt!" Kagome yelled indignantly. He turned around and just smirked at her before turning back around and starting off into the city. The fuming miko flushed at his smirk and turned her face to the side quickly, hiding her burning face. 'Oooh, why does he have to be so handsome? It's not fair!' She sighed and turned back to look at the scenery. "These buildings sure are beautiful. What are they made of?" She wondered aloud.

"These buildings are made of what is called, _reishi. _Reishi is the primary particles which make up all spiritual things. Without it, none of this would exist. Neither would you, me, or anyone else for that matter," the winter shinigami informed her matter-of-factly. "It is also what I used to walk mid-air in the fight you watched."

"Oh, so that's how you did that…I thought it was a little unnatural at first, but considering what's happening right now, I'm learning that many impossible things are suddenly plausible," the miko admitted.

"Heh. I can also do this-" He suddenly grabbed Kagome around the waist, slung her over his shoulder, then disappeared as fast as the eye could see. Kagome shrieked, panicking as she was hurled through the city at lightning speed. The teenage girl started feeling woozy after a minute or two of involuntarily watching the buildings speed by. She jerked forward on his shoulder as he stopped abruptly. "Man, you're heavier than I thought." Toshiro bluntly commented as he dropped the plus soul unceremoniously to the ground in front of the First Division Headquarters. She squeaked as she hit the ground.

"_Hey! You can't just do that! That hurt!_" Kagome reprimanded as she rubbed her sore butt, "itai…"

"Hn. I see nothing wrong in getting here faster than we would've, if we kept walking as slow as you," the taicho drawled. Kagome sprang off the ground and got right in Toshiro's face.

"That's still no reason to just dump me on the ground! You could have at least gently set me down!" Kagome tried to reason.

"Hn."

The black haired teenager snapped at that single syllable. She reeled back her arm and punched the smug look off the taicho's face. He stood stock still, head snapped to the side, eyes wide as saucers, touching his bruised cheek tenderly. Kagome was still in the same spot, panting angrily, face still set in an aggravated scowl. Slowly, Toshiro turned his head back towards Kagome, face morphing from shocked to furious. The passersby, who had stopped to witness the event, looked worriedly from the aggravated girl to the arguably even more furious boy. "Did...did you just punch me?" Toshiro snarled angrily, hand placed threateningly on the hilt of Hyōrinmaru.

"Hmph. Serves you right anyway," Kagome said, turning to the side and crossing her arms, deciding to ignore the aggressive gesture.

The icy taicho narrowed his eyes warningly at her turned head before reluctantly taking his hand off of his zanpakuto. "Hn. Just hurry up and follow me already." Toshiro gruffly ordered. Kagome twitched at the one syllable word and scowled before following him through the huge set of doors in a huff. It seemed that some of the captains had sensed a disturbance in the norm of the reiatsu in the air, and came to question the captain-general about it. All in all, there were only about 6 captains present, including Toshiro.

"Oh? And who is this young lady, Toshiro-san?" Inquired a woman with black hair tied into a thick braid that came around her shoulders into one huge one. She had a warm, nonjudgmental smile on her kind face.

"Konnichiwa, Unohana-sama." Toshiro respectfully greeted, "this is…" That's when he realized he had never asked for her name. Kagome realized this and conceded her name to the gentle natured taicho.

"Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Higurashi Kagome desu. Doozo yoroshiku." Kagome supplemented with a formal bow. (Translation: Nice to meet you. My name is Kagome. Please take care of me.)

Unohana smiled warmly at her, "please. Do not bow; there is no need to be so formal. My name is Retsu Unohana.

'She seems so kind…almost like a younger version of Kaede…' the miko saddened at the thought of the kindly old miko. She sobered up quickly and put on a happy façade and smiled brightly back at Unohana before turning back to Toshiro. "Ano…who am I supposed to talk to here?" She asked, uneasy at seeing all the powerful people here.

"That would be me." Spoke a wizened old voice. Kagome quickly turned to the front of the room to see a very old man with an impossibly long white beard. 'Whoa…he looks older than gramps!' She skeptically thought, 'is he really the one I'm supposed to talk to…?'

"He's Captain General Yamamoto. Treat him as you would to royalty." Toshiro hissed in her ear. Kagome shivered at the intensity of the Captain General's stare.

"I'm pleased to meet you. My name is Kagome. I understand that I am to talk to you?" the miko bowed deeply.

"Yes. I need to know what it is that you have that differentiates your aura from the rest of us shinigamis'." Yamamoto informed. Kagome was perplexed. Her aura was different? Then it dawned on her.

"Of course, I realize that your aura is different from mine, being that I am trained in the ways of the miko. The powers you use, and the powers I use, are greatly different."

"And how are they so different?" The Captain General questioned, narrowing his eyes in thought.

"Your power has a set amount, for the time being. As you train, your amount of…" She gestured with her arms.

"_Reiryoku" _Toshiro interjected.

"Yes, that. As I was saying, as you continue to train, your amount of _reiryoku _increases. Now, my power is drawn from my soul. This is called _Ki. _The power source is about as large as my soul." Kagome finished.

"I see…" Yamamoto processed this new information, stroking his long white beard thoughtfully. "Now that you are here, I think it is safe to assume that you will be here a while."

"But-"

The old man held up his hand before continuing, "I know that you will want to visit your old friends from when you were still alive. However, you have hardly any training to control your so-called ki," She bristled in indignation, "as shown by your lack of restraint on your power. It is flowing freely around you. You could be easily detected and killed. It would be easier for you if we trained you in the ways of the shinigami." He intoned. Kagome simmered with barely contained anger. She stepped forward and was about to give the old geezer a piece of her mind, but Toshiro stepped before her and put his arm out in front of her chest.

"I will help with training her. She will be under my care, and will be well taken care of." The white-haired taicho said, with a tone that left no room for argument. He slowly put his arm down and looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. She looked back at him with a frustrated look before sighing and nodding her head in defeat. Toshiro nodded his head back at her in acknowledgement before turning back to look at the Captain General expectantly.

"That seems to be a good idea, considering you were the one who found her, am I right?" Yamamoto inquired, though already knowing the answer.

Toshiro stared in shock before answering slowly, "yes…that is correct."

The Captain General nodded, "as I thought. I will check her progress in a month or two. That is all. You are dismissed." Yamamoto turned heel, and walked off, cape billowing dramatically from an unseen wind. Kagome turned to Toshiro with an eyebrow raised in a hidden question. He nodded back at her and they hastily started exiting the large hall. As soon as they reached the door, a head with shockingly orange hair popped out of nowhere. Kagome shrieked in fright.

"What is up with you sword-wielding weirdoes and freaking me out?" the miko cried. The auburn haired woman looked at her in confusion before turning back to her captain and remembering her train of thought.

"Toshiro-kun!" she exclaimed brightly as she wrapped her arms around the flustered short captain, "Where did you go? You left us at the exit of the senkaimon!"

"Mff perff ffm kmffge frmff." Toshiro said into the mop of orange hair's rather large chest, his words stifled.

"Hm? What was that Taicho?" Rangiku asked, pushing the wintery captain out of her chest and looking him over.

"I said, I used shunpo to get Kagome here faster." Toshiro impatiently said. He turned to Kagome and quickly made introductions, "Kagome, this is my fukutaicho (lieutenant), Rangiku Matsumoto. Rangiku, this is Kagome Higurashi. She will be staying with us now." Rangiku looked at Kagome with a surprised look on her face before breaking out in a huge smile and slinging her arm around Kagome's shoulders.

"Looks like I have a new drinking partner! Let's get to know each other over some sake! It'll be on me!" The busty lieutenant laughed heartily as she dragged away the reluctant miko. Toshiro stayed behind, staring at the backs of the retreating pair of females dumbly before shaking his head slowly and dejectedly following slowly behind them. Kagome was struggling to get out of Rangiku's grip by the time they reached the bar. She tried and failed to tell her that she didn't drink numerous times.

"I'm telling you! I don't drink!" Kagome wailed in protest, faintly recalling a bad experience with sake while she was alive. Rangiku just heartily laughed it off and dragged her to sit on a barstool.

"Oh, Kagome! You are so funny! You'll like drinking after this! I guarantee it!" The red haired shinigami insisted, "Hey, barman! Get me some sake, and strong too! We got a new one here!" The barman nodded at her before going around the back to get the bottle. "Just you wait. You'll be hooked like me soon!" Rangiku laughed, pointing at herself. Kagome warily looked at her before turning to her left and seeing an irritated Toshiro there. He looked at her ocean blue eyes and saw that she felt just the same about being there. The young taicho sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

Kagome snuck a glance at the overzealous woman next to her. Seeing her distracted by another bar buddy, she decided now was the time to make her escape. As inconspicuously as possible, Kagome slid off the barstool. Unfortunately, just as her feet were firmly planted on the floor, the bartender came back holding their ordered drinks. The miko sighed at the failed plan and hung her head dejectedly. The fukutaicho then turned to Kagome and smiled. "So…what do you like to do?"

"Well…I like to sit under the stars. When the night is cool and crisp, the wind is calm, and the fireflies are blinking in the darkness, like little windmills." Kagome sighed, content at just the thought, her eyes dreamy. Toshiro looked at her carefully, storing away this little piece of information in the back of his mind. Kagome then turned to the white haired captain unexpectedly. "So? What do you like to do?" She then slapped her forehead and dragged her hand slowly down, her lip jiggling from the force. "Man…I didn't even ask your name! I'm such an idiot…" Toshiro stared at her carefully before replying.

"It's Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, Tenth Division." Kagome nodded in thanks before he continued, "and…I like to…" His voice trailed off as he struggled to come up with a valid answer. He wasn't used to talking like this before; as though he was talking to a friend. The miko nodded, eyes wide, anticipating his answer. "I like to…watch snow fall from the sky." He said, turning to look at her. He was going to gauge her reaction carefully. Was she curious? Did she look interested? Did she...look like she wanted to do this with him? Kagome smiled at him warmly.

"That sounds so calming..." She sighed with a content look on her face, already imagining it. Suddenly she looked a little embarrassed, with a sprinkle of pink on her cheeks. "Ano...If-if you wouldn't mind...could I...?" She trailed off, looking hopeful. Toshiro stared at her in shock. He couldn't believe it. She just- just asked what his heart desired. He scrambled for an answer.

"Uh, yeah, sure. That would be...nice." He looked completely nervous, staring off to the side. Kagome squealed in happiness and gave him a bear-crushing hug. Rangiku looked at the both of them with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Kagome suddenly realized just how close she was with Toshiro. She slowly raised her head to look at his face. He had his head sharply turned to the side with a tinge of pink on his nose and the apples of his cheeks. She flushed prettily as well and jumped off him back on her seat.

"S-sorry..." The miko looked down at her lap, fearing the worst. Rangiku burst out in giggles at the scene in front of her. She brought out her arm around Kagome's shoulders and pulled her close.

"You know... there was a weather prediction for a snowfall tonight..." She suggested, eyebrows waggling.

"Oh- oh really now..." Kagome smiled nervously. Toshiro looked at the Assistant Captain skeptically. Matsumoto nodded furiously.

"It's true! In fact, you should be leaving right now! It could start any minute now!" She pushed Kagome towards the door and the wintery taicho heaved a sigh before following reluctantly. Rangiku shoved falling and screaming miko out the door with a final push. Toshiro raced over using shunpo and caught her in his arms. He then disappeared in thin air and Rangiku smiled knowingly to herself. Unlike the first time, Kagome was too dazzled to scream all the way through the trip. She looked up at Hitsugaya's unreadable face and couldn't help but feel safe in his arms. He looked down at her briefly and slightly smiled before lifting his face back up to watch where he was going. Her kind heart fluttered at the sight of it. She watched as trees flew by the two of them, looking like dark, enigmatic blurs, as they sped along. The air whooshed past them as he came to a stop. He let her slide out of his arms as she took in her surroundings. She caught her breath at the sight of it.

The pine and evergreen trees were covered in a light dusting of snowflakes. The long, pale yellow grass swayed gently in the caressing, unseen wind. The edge of the grassy knoll showed a cliff drop-off that beheld a dizzying blackness down yonder. The miko walked up to the top of the yellow hill in wonderment. Toshiro silently followed behind her, enraptured in how serene she looked, what with the grass brushing silently against her, telling the black haired soul their untold secrets. She sat on the ground with a small rustling of the stalks. He quietly shuffled up beside her and plopped down with a thump. They both looked to the sky and saw little snowflakes dancing through the air to a silent waltz. Kagome grinned brightly and held out her hand to catch the delicate flakes of snow. Toshiro watched her actions silently and contemplatively. She turned her grinning face to him and giggled in delight. Her laughing was so infectious that he couldn't help but chuckle a little. She smiled all the more brightly at that. The white haired taicho smiled softly back and wordlessly rested his hand beside hers. Kagome stared wide-eyed back at him as she saw how close his hand was. Shyly, she placed her hand on top of his and smiled sheepishly back at him. Toshiro smiled back with his own shy upturn of his lips, and curled his fingers around hers.

Kagome was feeling butterflies in her stomach. Surprisingly, she was not worried at all about this. It seems as though fate decreed that she fall in and out of love as quickly as a the eye could blink. Recently, she had come to terms with Inuyasha seeing Kikyo, and had no qualms with it. She sighed as she lay back down on the grass, Hitsugaya following suit. The miko grinned at him before sticking her tongue out to catch a snowflake. She squealed as one stuck on the tip of it. He chuckled at the childish nature of her. The teenager pouted back at him before looking off into the distance, watching the snow collect on the strands of grass.

"You know something? I love the silence that comes with falling snow." Kagome breathed out.

"Like an eerie silence; making everything hold its breath while waiting for an answer." He commented. She nodded in agreement.

"Yeah...Exactly that." She looked back up at the sky as she realized something. "Hey...Merry Christmas." He smirked at her before replying.

"Yeah...Merry Christmas to you too." He gulped with nervousness as he struggled to say something else. She looked at him in confusion at his verbal struggle. "And...and...thank you...for being here with me. It...means a lot to me." Kagome smiled back at him warmly as she squeezed his hand gently.

"It's no problem. No problem at all." He grinned and squeezed her hand back gratefully as the snow spiraled softly around them.

She would forever hold this memory dearly in her heart.

* * *

A/N: Dude...that last scene...so feakin' cute! Ahh...I can't wait to write the next chapter... Please review! It's what keeps me going!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! :D

P.S: Please vote on my poll! I put it on my profile page. It's anonymous.

P.P.S: I will update once every month. Twice or thrice if I'm feeling generous. (Has to do with the number of reviews I get *hint, hint*)


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: And, look! It's chapter 4! Wheeee! Many thanks for reviewing, michi. Your review really warmed my heart! Thanks!

Thanks to my reviewers:

Honohime (lol, does this count?), sousie, icewolves, blackdove1265, Cosmic-lover, amaroq32 (XD), michi, Tempest 78 (:D), ..Fire, and Lady Nefertari.

P.S: Happy New Years everyone!

Thanks for editing Hono-chan!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the characters. I own this little story, though! :P

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 4

Training with the Ice Butt

* * *

"Talking"

'Thinking'

* * *

It didn't take Toshiro long to figure out that Kagome had fallen asleep. Her eyes had closed, snowflakes resting gently on her eyelashes, and her breathing had slowed and evened out. The wintery taicho smiled softly at the girl in front of him, before stooping to pick her up. With his arms securely wrapped around her, one in the crook of her knees and the other around her torso, he took off into the dark forest.

As he glided across the ground, he couldn't help but feel as though Kagome fit perfectly in his arms. He shook his head, 'What am I thinking? She's just a…friend.' Toshiro cleared those thoughts from his head as he neared the 10th Division's barracks. He quickly jumped up to the 4th floor of the large building, and walked slowly to what he knew to be an empty room. As he stood in front of the door, Hitsugaya slid his arm further under Kagome's knees until his hand touched the knob. The white haired shinigami concentrated for a moment before icy blue reiryoku shone around his hand. He quickly dispelled the power and twisted the doorknob. As the door silently slid open, Toshiro was greeted with the sight of an empty, but furnished living room. He kicked the door shut and headed over to the bedroom door.

'Ugh…how many more doors are there gonna be?' The taicho grumbled inside his head. He jiggled the doorknob with his elbow (1) and shoved it open. When he reached the small twin sized bed, he lowered Kagome onto it gently, as though she was a valuable porcelain vase. He quickly slid her underneath the baby blue comforter and tucked her in snuggly. As he walked over and raised himself onto the window sill near her bed, he looked back at her one last time before jumping down into the darkness below; his billowing captain's robe the only thing left seen. The only clue as to him being there was the open window panes with the wind gently flapping the sky blue curtains.

* * *

The first thing that Kagome heard was the chirping of the chickadees and the low, crooning of the mourning doves. She slowly blinked her eyes open against the glare of the sun beating down on her eyelids. "Mmmmmmmhhh…" The miko stretched her arms out as her mouth opened wide in a big yawn. She froze as she become conscious of something. "Huh? How am I in a bed?"(2) She looked confusedly around the room and finally noticed the open window. "Why is that open…" Kagome gasped with realization, "Wait…that means that…Toshiro carried me to bed?" She blushed as she pictured herself being carried in the wintery captain's arms. "No! There's no time to be thinking about that kind of stuff!" She fiercely convinced herself as she shook her head, clearing her head of the image.

As the miko hopped out of bed, she noticed an armoire to the left of the doorway. She slowly opened the doors to the cabinet, and peered inside with curious blue eyes. Sitting on a hanger was the standard shinigami uniform. 'Well…might as well put it on. I am going to become a shinigami soon anyways…' Kagome sighed as she got out of her clothes and shrugged on the silky black Shihakushō (3). She reached for the stark white hakama-himo around her waist, and tightly tied it. Last, she lifted her feet up, and slipped on the white tabi and straw waraji. 'Man…this silk feels absolutely wonderful!' she thought as she walked around, trying to get used to the feeling of wearing the uniform. "Okay, time to get training!"

Kagome walked out of her apartment and down four flights of stairs to get the ground. As soon as she reached the ground, Toshiro appeared in front of her. She shrieked in fright, and stumbled back onto her butt. "Ow! Hey! What'd you do that for? S-stop scaring me like that!" The black-haired soul yelled in indignation. Hitsugaya merely smirked and offered a hand. She glared at the offending appendage and picked herself up rebelliously. He snorted in annoyance and shoved his hand in his hakama's pocket.

"Let's go. You already wasted enough time as it is." Toshiro gruffly said. Kagome's nose flared in anger.

"Well, maybe if you weren't such jerk, scaring people by jumping out of nowhere, we would've been training by now!"

"Hn." With that, the white-haired taichou walked off, leaving a pissed off miko to follow. After a bit of walking, her head finally cooled off, and she felt calm enough to chat.

"Hey, Toshiro, uh…where exactly are we going?" Kagome tentatively asked. He turned his head to look at her from the corner of his eye, and slowed to let her walk beside him.

"We're going to the Tenth Division Training Grounds. I'll teach you how to work with a zanpakutō there." He replied.

"A…zanpakutō?" She drew out the word slowly; unused to the unfamiliar term.

Toshiro nodded, "It's a blade." He held up his sword, "This is my zanpakutō. His name is Hyôrinmaru. All zanpakutōs have names."

"Does that mean that mine will already have a name when I get it?" Kagome pondered aloud.

The taichou nodded again in affirmation. "Yes. But that is for you to find out in your own time." As she mulled over this new information, they approached the training grounds. Hitsugaya sat cross-legged on large boulder and rested his zanpakutō horizontally on his knees. He gestured to the ground in front of him and she sat and mirrored his position. "Good. Now, you know how to meditate, right?" The miko nodded in affirmation. "Alright, now I need you to do just that. When you achieve meditation, you will come into what is called your, inner world. I cannot tell you what to do from there. That is for you to find out." He gazed at her for a moment longer, then closed his eyes as he meditated himself, Kagome quickly following suit.

As she fell deeper and deeper into the pits of her conscience, she felt as though she was free falling; though with the slow feeling of falling through the ocean, gently sucking her down. After a minute, she softly touched ground; stalks of grass flattened upon contact. Kagome gazed around and felt a familiar sense of déjà vu. It was exactly like the clearing that Toshiro and her had watched the snow fall from; except, there was no snow. She could see hardly anything; the moon had rendered the grass and trees tall blurs painted in a soft silver glow. She sat down, stumped. What was she to do? What next?

And then, the answer came.

* * *

Toshiro watched Kagome carefully as he slipped out of his inner world. He noticed that she was glowing a soft lavender color; the byproduct of her reiryoku. His curiosity was peaked since there was no one known to have that color reiryoku. As her glow started to diminish, he realized that her time in her inner world was coming to an end. 'She'll need to learn zanjutsu (4) when she comes to,' he thought.

* * *

It felt like incessant tugging on her very being; pulling at the source of her ki. Then suddenly, her power flew out of her chest in a flash of blinding pale purple light, and coalesced onto her lap into an indefinite shape. The enigmatic shape flashed brightly once, before dimming completely down until it was just a soft light violet glow on a…katana? Kagome stared down at the sword on her lap in wonder.

The sword was approximately 2 ft. in length, with a dark green wrapped hilt. At the bottom of it, there was a golden eagle shape. The guard had a spiral pattern about it, wrapping towards the center. Along the flat of the blade, there was a shimmering gold line going up towards the tip. Interestingly, the color of the metal was a pale blue color. Like the color of the sky right as the sun rises. Kagome picked up the blade gently and tested it between both hands. It was perfect. The katana was completely balanced, and the hilt was comfortably smooth. As soon as she stood up, the world slowly started to dim around her, and she knew then, that her time in this world was up. She opened her eyes.

She looked around a little, noticing she was back in the clearing. The black haired soul turned to Toshiro and smiled at him.

"This is my zanpakutō. I can feel it," she placed her hand over where her heart was, "right here. It feels like a vibrating hum coursing through my entire body."

"Yes." Toshiro nodded, "than that is indeed, the one. I felt the same way as you described." He looked at Hyôrinmaru fondly and then back up to Kagome. "It's time we started with the basics."

Kagome panted with exertion as she slid back into the correct stance, sweat rolling down her pallid face in small rivulets. Toshiro slanted his zanpakuō towards her.

"Come at me again." He ordered.

The miko raised her sword again, and dashed towards the wintery taicho. She kept her eyes on Toshiro, watching him while not giving away her future moves. 'If I just run at him, he'll sidestep me and push me at the ground again.' She narrowed her eyes. 'However, if I try this…' As she predicted he merely sidestepped her as she came past him and turned around, already in motion to push her. 'Not this time, Hitsugaya!' She quickly ducked and he fell forward, surprise clearly written on his face. Kagome spun on her heel and lightly pushed her blade against his jugular. He smirked at her accomplishment.

"You catch on quick. I'm surprised I fell for that." Toshiro admitted. She raised the edge of her lips in her very own smirk.

"You get comfortable if you get used to the same thing over and over again." Kagome raised a hand to help him.

"Heh, very true." He accepted the offered hand, and quickly got up. "It's surprising that someone like you can deduce something like that." Hitsugaya quickly dashed away when he finished his sentence. A vein popped on the miko's forehead.

"You…You jerk! Get your little ice butt back here so I can beat your head in!" She screamed furiously as she chased after him. Onlookers stopped to stare at the scene before them, shaking their heads at their childishness, but smiling, nonetheless. Toshiro sprinted up the stairs that led to his office, and slammed the door shut when he sped through. He slid down the wood slowly while gulping for air. Suddenly he felt a pounding that reverberated throughout the supposedly reinforced door. Leaping away quickly, he turned and faced the door, fully prepared to fight the furious soul. The abused piece of wood splintered, before breaking down completely; the pissed miko-bull ramming through to her object of frustration. Her red nostrils flared as she yelled.

"You little jerk! Why, I oughta…" She growled threateningly, raising a fist over her head. Instead of striking, however, her fist began to tremble. After a while, her shoulders were shaking with erratic tremors. Toshiro panicked at first, thinking she had started to cry, but as she lifted her head, the tears forming in her eyes were from straining to hold in her giggles. Even with her hand covering her mouth, she couldn't hold it in any longer. Kagome burst out in raucous laughter, the chortles bubbling up from her stomach and ringing out joyously. Toshiro couldn't keep back his laughter any longer as well and slowly tipped over, holding his stomach. The black haired soul couldn't hold her sword anymore (it was surprising she had managed to hold it this long, anyway) and it clattered to the ground, Kagome following suit a second later, sniggering all the while. After a minute of laughing, Kagome wiped away the tears that escaped from her eyes while gasping for air from her episode, and trying to regain her composure. Hitsugaya lay on the floor beside her spent, thinking of how he hadn't laughed like that in so long. He leaned back onto his hands and curled his legs into his chest, and quickly sprang up onto his feet.

He sighed as he turned to her and stuck out his hand. "Are you going to take it this time?" A grin stretched across Kagome's face as she rested her hand lightly in his.

"I think I'll take a chance."

* * *

A/N: HAHA! YES! It's just getting easier and easier to write 1000 words! I feel like I accomplished something. I really think I ended this chapter well. I knew I couldn't continue it after that. Well there ya have it, folks. Please review! It really keeps me motivated. Thanks for reading! :D

(1) Lol, I do this with my door all the time XD

(2) Yes, Kagome talks to herself

(3) Shihakushō is the standard Shinigami uniform.

(4) Zanjutsu means swordmanship.

P.S: Please vote on my poll! I put it on my profile page. It's anonymous and ends on February 14th (My birthday! :D).

P.P.S: I will update once every month; twice or thrice if I'm feeling generous. (Has to do with the number of reviews I get *winks obnoxiously*)


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: First off, I'd like to thank all of my readers and especially my reviewers! It makes me very happy to know that there are some people out there who read my story. :'D

Secondly, I've reached the 20 review mark! :D I feel so loved… Thank you so much again! Let's shoot for 30 now!

I have also recently got struck with inspiration and came up with a cool story idea! :D I'm not telling much, but I am still deciding on the ultimate pairing and the manga to base it off of.

Regardless, of the poll, it can be either Bleach, or Naruto. I'm leaning towards Bleach right now and the pairing Byakuya/Kagome. I can't do Toshiro/Kagome, just because it doesn't fit with this idea. I'm sorry if you were hoping for another one! ;A;

Aaaaand, some bad news. My wonderful beta, honohime, is out of commission because of some personal issues, and I need a new beta! ... PM me if you have any interest in this handy-dandy job! :D Be forewarned: I am rather picky... so I'll test you- and don't worry about this! It's nothing big really.

Anyways, on with Chapter Cinco!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER**: I own nothing but the plot, and if possible, a few OC's I'll come up with

along the way.

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 5

Operation: Meet n' Greet!

"Talking"

'Thinking'

* * *

Kagome stretched her mouth open wide in a huge yawn, exposing her perfect pearly white teeth as she reached for the sky with tired arms. She quickly groaned in pain as the soreness of her before-unused muscles settled in. She whimpered at the thought of more training in the late morning and dreaded getting up. 'Well, might as well go, or else this soreness will never go away if I just ignore it,' she sighed in defeat.

The miko swung her legs over to the side of the bed and quickly got up, wincing at the pain. She gingerly slipped on her shinigami uniform, and shuffled out of her homey apartment.

"BOO!"

Kagome screamed and squeezed her eyes shut as she flung her arms in front of her face, cringing away. Someone fell down with a loud thump, laughing manically. She scowled and opened her eyes to glare at a teary-eyed Rangiku.

"Rangiku…" The miko growled as her aura darkened dangerously around her and crackled with black lightning. Said shinigami wiped her tears away as her laughter died down, and peeked up at a pissed off Kagome.

"Fine, fine," Matsumoto sighed, "Mou… you really need to lighten up a little! It was just a joke!"

"'Just a _joke'?_" Kagome exploded, "I was really scared! You could have given me a stroke!"

The Assistant Captain stared at her skeptically.

"A stroke? You can't get a stroke at your age!"

Kagome sputtered and was doing a pretty good impression of a fish, what with her mouth opening and closing rapidly. Rangiku just laughed and tugged her down the stairs and out of the barracks. The black haired soul stumbled behind her before pulling on her arm to stop the crazy shinigami.

"Just where do you think you're taking me?" Kagome demanded. Rangiku just smiled innocently.

"Why, to meet a few of my drinking buds! Who else?"

The trainee shinigami smacked her face with her palm, and dragged it down slowly.

'Mou…What did I do to get stuck with her?' She whined in her head. She sighed as she gave up when the fukutaicho wouldn't stop jerking at her arm.

"I give up…Just do what you want with me, as long as you stop tugging on my arm!" Kagome tiredly growled out.

"All right! Let's go!" Matsumoto shouted, fist raised high in the air. With that, she dragged the limp miko off into the streets.

When the fukutaicho stopped walking, Kagome weakly lifted her head up. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head in surprise.

"What? The 11th Division building?" Oh, yes. She had heard all the rumors.

"Of course! Where else?" Rangiku said, surprised. Suddenly, her face brightened.

'Oh no….' The shinigami-in-training groaned in her head.

"_Yumichika! Ikkaku! Get your butts down here!" _Matsumoto yelled at the large building. A noisy crash echoed throughout the building and Kagome saw two figures hurriedly leaping from the top floors of the edifice. The man with long feathers coming out of his right eyelashes and eyebrow lightly touched his feet to the walkway while the shiny bald man simply crashed to the ground, his arms sticking up at odd angles and his face morphed into a pained grimace. Said bald man popped off the ground and glared laser beams at Rangiku. Unfazed, she just looked on, unimpressed and crossed her arms underneath her chest.

"Are you quite done embarrassing yourself yet, Ikkaku?" She deadpanned. The now identified Ikkaku's face twisted angrily into a deep scowl.

"What the hell, woman? Why'd ya call us down here?" He demanded furiously. Matsumoto looked back at him, surprised.

"Why, to meet Kagome here of course!" She patted Kagome hard on the back to emphasize the little miko. Said miko winced and rubbed her poor, abused back.

"Itai…Why'd you have to hit so hard?" Whined Kagome. A resounding whack sound echoed throughout the courtyard and birds took flight off their branches, cawing and chirping loudly as Kagome returned the favor. Now a certain fukutaicho was rubbing her poor butt, whining about losing her bootiliciousness because the pissed off trainee-shinigami hit so hard. Ikkaku was laughing his arse off, rolling on the hard concrete with tears gushing out of his eyes, while Yumichika was trying and failing to hide his chortles behind his dainty hand.

An awkward silence fell around the clearing as the laughter dwindled down to nothing. Kagome shifted her foot around skittishly, not knowing what to say.

"So…. how about them human video games?" Ikkaku laughed nervously. The miko's eyes brightened considerably at the mention of video games.

"Deathstreams, catch the disease! (1)" She shouted randomly. An even more awkward silence covered her random shout-out.

"Uhhh….Osu….?" She quietly suggested. The others just gave her a puzzled look and she shook her head in a tired manner, "Never mind…"

"Okay…well, now we need a couple other shinigami and we'll be set for the camp-out!" Rangiku shouted, looking victorious. Fast as lightning, she hooked her arms around the male shinigamis' necks and took off sprinting down the street in a random direction, leaving a long trail of brown dust clouds behind her.

Kagome sighed again dejectedly for what seemed like the hundredth time that day and collapsed to the ground, exhausted straight down to the bones. Her eyes slid closed lethargically, and soon, a soft snore arose from the limp trainee-shinigami.

People parted around the dozing teenage soul, curiously staring at her while striding into the 11th Division building. Only one person stopped next to her, stooped down, and picked Kagome up gingerly in his or her arms. The person sighed minutely and set off in the direction of the forest nearby.

When Kagome came to, she was extremely disorientated. Blearily, she inched her eyelids open and noticed that she was no longer lying in the middle of a street. Towering trees and soft grassy dirt replaced traditional buildings and hard concrete. Groaning, she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Slowly, the miko twisted her head around to look at her surroundings in more detail. Her eyes nearly popped out of their pink sockets when she saw her "mentor" leaning casually against a spruce tree.

"Toshiro! What are you doing here?" Kagome exclaimed in shock. Said taicho snorted an undignified manner before pushing his self off of the rough bark on the spruce. He sauntered over to her and crouched down.

"I happened to come upon you when I was heading to the 11th Division to deliver some papers. You were lying in the middle of the street! What were you thinking?"

'Wow. It sounds like he's getting worked up over this. Is he showing some care?' Kagome thought slyly. "Heh, it almost sounds like you're concerned for me!"

His face immediately froze up after that and he opened his mouth to deny it. However, large rustles in the bushes cut him off. Whispers ensued from the shrubbery as the young captain's face grew dark with annoyance.

"Just _go!_" Whispered a fierce voice from the bushes and a body came sprawling out of the undergrowth face-first.

"Ughhh… Why did you have to do that, Rangiku?" The person groaned out from the dirt. Said person suddenly got bonked in the head with an angry fist.

"Way to go, Ikkaku! You gave us away!" Matsumoto ground out. All of a sudden, a stream of people came pouring from the bushes out into the silent clearing.

Kagome stared on blankly with growing fury in her electric blue eyes from her resting position on the forest floor. Toshiro had a look that promised death fixated on a certain blonde haired shinigami. Said soul-reaper was currently laughing nervously while scratching the back of her head.

"What are you doing here?" The white-haired taicho growled out.

"Oh…haha, funny you ask, really…" Rangiku began, "You see, Kagome, my buddies, and I were all going to go on a camp-out tonight! I was just looking for her!"

Kagome's face took a sudden downturn in deep misery as she remembered her current predicament. Toshiro took heed to her look and shook his head.

"I don't think so. She's looking a little…pale."

"She looks fine! It's just a little paleness from lack of sleep! In fact…" While Matsumoto rambled on to her disbelieving captain, Yumichika stealthily snuck in behind Kagome and snatched her away, hand clamped tightly over her mouth to prevent her from screaming.

Rangiku shifted her pupils to the corner of her eyes subtly to check on Yumichika's progress and swiftly pointed her thumb to the left behind her back when she saw that he accomplished his task. He quickly used shunpo to escape to the thick undergrowth and beyond, his companions following suit. As quickly as the clearing was filled, it was emptied of all personnel except for poor Toshiro, who was dumbfounded by the lack of people- including Kagome. His face immediately took on an irritated look before he sprinted off, following a rapidly fading trail of reiryoku.

When they finally stopped in the beautiful grassy knoll that Kagome and Toshiro had previously been not that long ago, Kagome tired of being carried and bit harshly on Yumichika's dainty hand, instantly prompting him to drop her like she was a disease with a wild yowl of pain. She rolled when she hit the leaf-covered ground and shot up into a defensive position.

"Why did you take me here?" The shinigami-trainee demanded. Rangiku laughed and patted her on the back.

"Oh, just to have a little fun," she added with a saucy wink. Kagome wanted to sink into the moist dirt at that moment. She groaned and pounded her head onto a nearby tree.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow..." Kagome repeated that mantra in her mind as she continued to abuse her poor head before she was suddenly stopped mid-strike. "Wha..?"

"You shouldn't do that young lady, for you have such a beautiful face~"

Abruptly she felt a very male hand on her backside.

'Is that what I think it is...?' Her face heated and she swiftly spun around.

*Smack!*

The mysterious man looked blissful as he was spun around from the force of the blow, and slowly sunk to the ground with a happy smile on his stubbly face. Kagome glared heatedly at his flowery pink ladies' kimono.

"Don't ever touch me again you pervert!" Said perv laughed charmingly and smiled leeringly at her.

"Hahaha, you have me wrong! I am no pervert, I am just a simple man who appreciates feminine beauty."

Kagome snorted in disbelief, "Hah! I highly doubt that, considering you just called yourself one, ya baka!" The man in pink looked confused for a second before a look of denial crossed his features.

"What? I didnt-"

"Save it!" The black-haired soul cut him off, "I don't wanna hear any excuses!" She blinked when a pale hand suddenly waved into view.

"Um... Sorry to intrude on your... Conversation, but who are you?" "Eeeh?" Kagome turned to look upon the new arrival. The man had an apologetic, yet kind expression.

'Sesshōmaru.' Registered in her head when she saw his silky-looking long white hair, but then she remembered his thoughtful eyes, 'Nah... Not Sesshōmaru... Not at all.' He looked at her oddly when he caught her staring at him.

"Are you okay, miss...?"

"Kagome, Higurashi Kagome," She supplied for him. She blushed madly as she finally realized why he asked her about her health.

"Uh, sorry," Kagome laughed nervously, "you just reminded me of someone, that's all."

The white-haired shinigami nodded his head thoughtfully, "That's quite alright. I am Ukitake Jūshirō, by the way," he introduced politely while holding out a hand for her to shake. She took his frail-looking hand in hers and shook it lightly.

'Is he sick...?' She looked worriedly at his fragile appearance.

"And he," he said, pointing towards the disgruntled pervert, "is Kyōraku Shunsui. He's not as bad of a soul as you may think him to be, he's just a little... over-exuberant sometimes." Kagome looked at Shunsui in disbelief.

'And pigs will fly when he proves me wrong,' She skeptically thought with a raised brow. 'Ugh...' she turned her head sharply to the side when the pervert waggled his eyebrows suggestively at her.

The silence was so thick that it was almost palpable after that embarrassing exchange between Shunsui and the miko. Everyone was staring amusedly at the two of them and Kagome's eye twitched from all the unneeded attention.

"Well! Let's set up camp!" Rangiku announced to break the awkward silence. Everyone in the clearing sighed in relief and immediately started to unload the drinks and lay out blankets on the hillside. Kagome's eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw the stream of booze being pulled out of Matsumoto's kosode.

'Black hole!' Popped in everyone's mind as they too stared openly at the amazing phenomenon. Shunsui carefully unloaded a special bottle from his bag and walked over to Jūshirō.

"This, my dear friend, is for you." The sickly captain's eyes grew wide as he gingerly took the bottle into his own hands.

"It's... It's... A vintage bottle of gyokuro tea from the 1600s!(2)" He stared in open awe at the precious liquid filled glass in his battle-calloused hands. Ukitake glanced up gratefully at his friend before pulling him in for a one-armed hug.

"Thank you so much, Shunsui."

Said taicho shook his head in a denying manner, "You don't have to thank me for it, think of it as a thank you gift for being my good friend throughout our years here."

Ukitake slid the cork off with the ease of a motion seemingly practiced for years. He pulled a glass out of a small satchel he had brought with him and smoothly poured himself a glass.

"Here's to our many years of friendship!" Jūshirō raised his cup for a toast and slowly sipped his high-end tea with patient lips.

Kagome watched this all unfold with slight amusement in her cobalt eyes.

'I guess Shunsui really isn't as bad as I thought him out to be... You were right Ukitake-san, you were right,' She almost regretfully thought, 'However... He still needs to prove to me that he's not the huge pervert he is!'

Sticking true to his true nature, Shunsui slowly snuck over to his fukutaicho, Ise Nanao, and slung his free arm over her petite shoulders, as he was currently holding a rather large bottle of sake.

"Say, Nanao-chan..." He slowly slid his hand lower and lower before his hand was swatted away forcefully by a large tome. Kagome sweat dropped at the site and thought back to her previous note on Shunsui.

'I take that back. He really is as bad as I think him to be.'

Far away, Toshiro was sulking in his office, with only stacks upon stacks of paperwork to keep him company.

"God dammit, Rangiku..."

* * *

A/N: Hahaha... Poor little Toshiro! :P Sorry about the wait. I had major bouts of writer's block and couldn't seem to muster up the will to continue writing. Haha... really, it's all because of my friend Amaroq's nagging that I started up again. xD So you should send a heartfelt thanks to her, because if I never met her, this story would be lost among many files in this old computer...

(1): A little phrase Amaroq and I came up with for osu! ^^

(2): In case you were wondering, the tea was kept fresh with a special spell.

Thanks for reading! Please review! I like them a lot. ^^ Who knows, you may get an unexpected package full of cakes for leaving one, *hint hint*

Amaroq32: I demand to see twenty reviews or more just for this one chapter! If not, I shall throw my OC , Amy, at anyone who does not review and have her terrorize them. Although if you do I shall send plush puppies, kittens, and a thank you card. ^w^

Your reviews mean a lot to her, and its annoying to hear her complain about not getting any. So please, have some pity on me, and review. If you don't want to sit and type, or if you fingers cannot muster up enough energy, click on the review button, and then take anything heavy and drop it onto your keyboard, then click submit. :P


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Yay, chapter 6! Oh? And almost 30 reviews! Let's hope that I can reach that mark soon! I'm sorry that I did not update for sooooooooooooooooooooooo long. I will make it up to you guys by writing this chapter now. ^^ Be thankful for that, because I never usually write two chapters in one month.

This chapter will be the start of getting into the nitty-gritty of the plot. You may be surprised... I sure hope you will be!

Pues, on with Chapter Seis!

WARNING! TIMESKIP!

WARNING! Toshiro may be OOC

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing but the plot, and if possible, a few OC's I'll come up with along the way.

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 6

Mysterious Encounter

"Talking"

'Thinking'

* * *

It had been a couple months since the Great Rangiku Camp-out, and Kagome is just starting her usual routine with a training session with Toshiro at the 10th Division Training Grounds. In the few months she had learned how to shunpo correctly, and can almost keep up with Toshiro. The shinigami-trainee walked leisurely around the large edifice, humming softly to herself. As she finally neared the grassy field, her curiosity peaked as she noticed that she couldn't detect Toshiro's icy reiryoku signature anywhere on the grounds.

'Huh... usually he's here way before I arrive...' She looked around with a concerned glance and promptly plopped herself down on a large boulder.

~10 minutes later...~

Kagome's face grew dark with impatience and her brow knotted together. Her hands fiddled with each other nervously before she abruptly slammed them on the stone.

"That's it! I'm gonna find him if it's the last thing I do!"

When Kagome zoomed into Toshiro's office, she immediately picked up his icy signature. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the trail veer off the edge of an open window, curtains flapping gently in an unseen breeze.

"Does he have a fetish for jumping out of windows or what?" Kagome sighed tiredly before leaping out of the window herself.

Kagome stuck to the trail like a bloodhound on crack, only noticing her surroundings when the deep forest thinned out into green grass, then blooming flowers. Soft pink sakura petals lazily twirled in the wane morning sunlight. As she drew closer to the flowered haven, her eyes fell upon a heart-wrenching scene.

A tall, gnarly sakura tree posed in the center of the beautiful meadow with two black-clad figures intimately embracing each other in front of it. Kagome's eyes widened and her heart filled with dread as she gazed upon the couple.

'Toshiro...'

* * *

A teenage black-haired girl donning a sailor school uniform sauntered uncertainly through the dark woods, looking for a certain dog-eared hanyou. Moonlight pierced through the branches of many trees, lighting her path. Her deep blue eyes teared up as she drew closer to find the man she was searching for in the deep embrace of her incarnation, Kikyo. She quickly concealed herself behind a large tree, listening in on their private conversation.

"...You were there for me, InuYasha. I was so happy..." Kikyo gazed at InuYasha tenderly before she turned to walk away.

"Kikyo..." The Hanyou rushed forward, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into another embrace, "If anything happens, call for me!"

"InuYasha..." Kikyo sighed in her love's sweet arms, "Don't worry about me, I won't let any other man but you touch a single strand of hair on my head."

'InuYasha!' Kagome's heart cried out his name in misery as she watched the two. She turned around to run away once Kikyo had completely melted into the surrounding darkness of the forest, but stepped on a branch and a loud crack sounded. The time-traveler froze as panic and fear surged through her veins and slowly turned her head to look at her heart's desire.

"Kagome..." InuYasha uttered her name with sorrow in his young voice, turning to look at the time-traveler.

'He's looking straight at me... Why? How can he just stand there without looking away?' Kagome stared into InuYasha's eyes with despair as he just looked back at her, unblinking.

'Why?'

Kagome reminisced on her past love as she focused on Toshiro wrapped in another's arms.

'Why am I feeling like this? I haven't even known him that long!' She reasoned in her mind. As she saw the girl, who she immediately categorized as his "girlfriend", stretch up to kiss him, Kagome turned tail and silently fled from the spectacle, melting into the dark forest.

Toshiro watched, enraptured that Momo was actually acting normally, but mostly alarmed as his good friend suddenly started homing in on his pale face. He raised his head quickly as he unexpectedly heard a quick succession of footsteps racing away with his keen ears. From his peripherals, he just barely glimpsed a mop of familiar blue-black hair fade away into the shadows of the surrounding forest.

"Crap... Kagome!" Toshiro knitted his brows in agitation and quickly removed himself from Momo's vice-like grip. He grabbed her shoulders and hastily murmured an apology before pursuing after where the shinigami-trainee vanished. His fists tightened until they turned white while he silently uttered her name in his mind.

'Kagome...'

Dark trees sped past in blurs as Kagome used up every ounce of reiryoku she contained to get away from the meadow. Exhausted pants escaped from her dry mouth as she took a quick break to rest against a lone tree. As she glanced up, her eyes opened in shock before a grimace found its way onto her lips as she noticed she was back in the memory-filled clearing. Vaguely, she noticed the sky darken to night for a split-second, but thought nothing of it. Finally the miko caught her breath and stood quickly. She made a step before freezing in apprehension. The hairs on the back of her neck rose as she felt an intense gaze upon her person.

"Why hello there, Kagome-chan."

A shiver ran up her spine from the cold whisper brushing against her ear and she swiftly spun around, zanpakutō unsheathed and raised threateningly.

"Who's there?" Kagome demanded, "Show yourself!"

Silence greeted her inquisitions as she looked around frantically. Kagome shuddered as she remembered the snaky voice. Warily, she turned back around and her eyes widened in shock as she gasped when she saw a shadowy silhouette with leaves blowing calmly around him.

The smirk only grew wider upon the man's pale face.

Kagome was frozen in place, feet adamantly tacked to the ground even when she desperately tried hard to budge her feet. She panicked and struggled, but she just couldn't stop staring at those thin eyes that were slowly opening to reveal sky blue irises. He slowly strolled over to her, smirk growing impossibly wider.

"So, Kagome-chan," The stranger said. "How's life in the Seireitei?"

Said shinigami-trainee's eyes narrowed dangerously, "How do you know my name? Who are you? What do you want? How-"

"Ahhh," The creepy man wagged his finger. "So many questions! I will answer a few, though. But only for my entertainment."

Kagome silently seethed but remained silent. She didn't want to give the man any clues about herself.

"For your first question... Let's just say that my leader has had his eye on you for quite some time now." He chuckled a little at that, but continued. "As for your second, I'm Ichimaru Gin. Pleased to meet ya." Gin stuck out his hand gallantly, but frowned disappointingly when Kagome refused to raise her arm.

"Awh, fine. But don't say I didn't try!" He shook his pointer finger in an admonishing manner. "And for your final question... Why, I'm sure you've already guessed what, or should I say _who, _I want."

Kagome gritted her teeth and managed to finally shift her foot into a quick defensive position, should he try to capture her.

"What makes you think that I would go with you so easily?"

Ichimaru just grinned, "Shippo," The miko's eyes widened fearfully. "Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha. Those names sound familiar, now don't they?"

Kagome now shook with fear for her friends, "H-how do you know about them? No one should!"

Gin laughed delightedly at her display and applauded her slowly.

"Oh, I don't think you would want to know," He said. "Was that enough to convince ya now? Would you really risk your friends' safety because ya want to be brave?"

Quickly, the time-traveler shook her head no. His eyes seemed to glow at that as he finally closed the foot of space between them.

"Good. Now, why don't ya leave with me peacefully?" Gin said as he reached out and played with a lock of her hair.

Kagome straightened quickly and grabbed his wrist, "Fine. Let's just go already."

His smirk widened largely and he held out his free arm. A two-person sized garganta opened quickly and he ushered her inside.

"Hurry, hurry. We don't want anyone to see us, now don't we?"

The miko stepped hesitantly forward, but set her face determinedly and jumped into the black portal. She looked back sorrowfully as she realized that this would be the second time she's left a place dear to her heart. Kagome turned back around and made to move forward when she heard an abrupt call.

"Kagome!"

Her eyes widened in shock and she turned back around quickly. For what seemed an eternity, but was really a second, their eyes met. Blue clashed with teal and she saw the despair deep in his eyes. Her mouth opened to speak and she raised her arm before she remembered why she had just ran away from him. Kagome looked down and her face shadowed. A single tear fell from her eye as the maw slammed shut, leaving no traces as to what had just taken place.

~5 minutes before~

Toshiro raced after Kagome's unique trail of reiryoku mixed with her special power, reiki. Trees whipped past him as he used his shunpo skills to the max. He sighed as a migraine started taking effect.

'Kagome...Why did you have to see that happen? I'm sorry if you had a misunderstanding, but Momo and I are not together. What you saw was a mistake- it shouldn't have happened. I'm sorry...'

Her signature suddenly grew stronger and Toshiro burst upon the clearing that he and Kagome had watched the snow fall from. He arrived just in time to gaze upon the worst sight he had ever laid eyes on.

Kagome had her back turned against him inside a small garganta with- Ichimaru-taicho? Toshiro gasped, inwardly, at that and sped forward even more.

"Kagome!"

She turned around, eyes widened in shock. He pierced her gaze with his own teal eyes, and time seemed to slow to years instead of seconds. Despair filled his blue orbs and he begged for forgiveness with his eyes, hoping she would see it. Hitsugaya watched as she lowered her head, face clouded over. Kagome's face was shadowed, lips curled in sadness. He stared, transfixed as a shining droplet fell from her dark eyes. And that's when his frozen heart broke into millions of shards of ice. The garganta closed, forever burning that image of her in his mind. He suddenly crumpled to the ground on his hands and knees, and pounded the dirt with his fist.

"Kuso!"

* * *

Aaaaaaaand the plot thickens! :D Whooooo! What a fast update! This chapter just unfolded before my very eyes, and I think that the rest of the story will be that way as well. (I hope .)

A little warning here... The pairing may change to -you guessed it- Gin/Kagome! :D I honestly don't know how this happened, but I'm starting to dislike the Toshiro in my story more and more. -_- He just annoys me right now. You hear that you little snot?

*Air starts to freeze ominously*

Uuuuuh, yeah. Let's just leave that topic alone... e.e Not that I can't beat that chibi anyday! Because I can!

*Ice crystals start to grow rapidly*

Yeah, yeah. Don't get your knickers in a twist, little boy.

Well, I hope to see at least 5 reviews from this chapter. Otherwise I might need to pull out my writer's block from the deep recessives of my conscience.

Heh, but just know that I will NEVER abandon this story. It is too important to me to give up, and I just dont like -excuse my language- half-assing things.

See you guys next chapter! ¡Hasta luego!

**Amaroq32** - Waaaah... I can't help but think of my lame example of two people - their names were Twig and Branch - running towards each other in slow motion in a meadow calling out each others names other and over again whenever I read the Inuyasha/Kikyo part... It's almost impossible for me not to.

But, moving onwards, I shall have to go to my evil side if Orange does not meet her goal that she has set. So do please let her know how much you enjoy this chapter. ¡Adios!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Nya ha ha... *rubs hands together gleefully with evil grin on face* I bet you think I'm such a devil for putting in that pairing change warning! :P I loooooove how this story is really gettin' it down in the plot! . Makes me so excited to write what's going to happen next!

I'm so happy Track and School is almost over... that way, I can focus all of my undivided attention on this little story! Then, I shall torture myself by running two-three miles everyday while biking 4-10 miles a couple times a week AND join cross-country. All that just so I can condition myself properly for Track next year. Lot of work, yeah? (amaroq: I think she wants to join the olympics.)

Haha, might as well do the triathlon! (Yeah, no.)

Alright... I gotta say, the beginning of this chapter requires you to listen to a certain Bleach song so you can really get the feel of the part. The song is:

Nothing can be Explained - Mike Wyzgowski

Link (change the word to a period): http:/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=hdggol4J1po

Then, listen to these songs for Kagome's part:

Requiem for the Lost Ones - Bleach

Link:

http:/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=jEDhaBSYoNY

A Requiem - Bleach

Link:

http:/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=Rj3JqFBpo98

PS: I will be putting one of Kubo Tite's poems from the Bleach manga in these chapters from now on.

Okay, okay, A/N over. On with Chapter siete!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing but the plot, and if possible, a few OC's I'll come up with along the way.

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 7

Irrevocable Loss

"Talking"

'Thinking'

* * *

"_It's still too early to believe."_

Toshiro walked numbly through the streets, shinigami rushing by him- frantic with the new knowledge that the former 3rd Division Taicho had breached Seireitei. Everything seemed to be in slow motion to him, passing by him unseen to his empty teal eyes. He would never be able to live that moment down... Not after making Kagome cry because of him...

He vaguely remembered reporting those events to the Head-Captain, as he was still in a daze from seeing her disappear. Somebody bumped into him in a rush and he or she started apologizing in a rush before the person looked up to to see him staring off into space. The random shinigami blinked at his non-responsiveness and watched as he started to slowly walk away.

'I feel so empty inside... nothing seems to be real.' Hitsugaya glanced at the busy street, turned and flickered away. 'Everything's changed.'

He slouched when he reached his office/quarters and collapsed on his bed. Covering his eyes with his bare arm, he shut himself off to the rest of the world.

"Why did she go with him...? I shouldn't have gone to Momo. If I hadn't..." He lamented quietly in his dark room.

'She would still be here.'

Kagome slowly stepped out of the dark maw and onto strangely grey, colorless sand. It softly mushed under her waraji as she settled her small mass on it. Gin mockingly smiled reassuringly before turning and slowly walking down an oddly shaped solid path. She trailed after, still unsure about her decision. Then she remembered.

FLASHBACK

Ichimaru just grinned, "Shippo," The miko's eyes widened fearfully. "Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha. Those names sound familiar, now don't they?"

Kagome now shook with fear for her friends, "H-how do you know about them? No one should!"

Gin laughed delightedly at her display and applauded her slowly.

"Oh, I don't think you would want to know," He said. "Was that enough to convince ya now? Would you really risk your friends' safety because ya want to be brave?"

PRESENT

The miko shivered slightly at the cruel, creepy former taicho's actions and words. Her resolve strengthened with renewal, and she picked her pace up to catch up to Gin. A slight surprise showed on his face when she slowed to walk next to him before it was gone just as quickly as it came. Kagome wanted to show that she was strong and wouldn't back down as easily as she knew they thought her to.

Ichimaru smirked lightly at her display of will. 'She seems to be stronger than I thought... All the more fun to mess around with.'

She snuck a glance up at his thin face and grew suspicious when she saw a smirk tug at his lips. 'What is he planning...? I have a bad feeling that it has to do with me...'

"We're here, Kagome-chan."

The time-traveler twitched at the too-familiar suffix and looked up from her musings. She was shocked when a tall white palace seemingly appeared out of thin air. A reversed pale moon hung low on top of the highest tower and cast a low, pallor light on the deserted landscape. Sand drifts lazily snaked across the dunes, making the hollow world seem almost ethereal. Dead, stark white trees dotted the way to the palace.

'How did I not see that? It's so tremendous!' Her sea blue eyes grew wide as she took in the sheer size of it. Gin gazed at it with a hint of satisfaction, thinking of the accomplishments Aizen, Tōsen, and he had made. Kagome stared at all her surroundings as they walked under a large arch into the sandy chateau, which really wasn't that sandy at all in the inside. Glossy black flooring shined with an almost marble-like luster, leading down a long, narrow hallway. The duo quietly traipsed down the corridor before stopping in front of a pair of tall, ornate doors. Gin languidly pushed the door open and stopped in front of it, swishing his arm down in front of his abdomen and bowing.

"Ladies first."

Kagome looked dumbly at him for a second before abruptly collecting her thoughts and passed him by, not meeting that sneering face of his. She glanced at the walls which had long blue pillars rising from a ledge jutting out. A huge platform rose high from the now tiled floor with a throne upon it. Looking closer, she saw a man with slicked back dark brown hair sitting lazily upon it, head resting on his open palm. His eyes glittered strangely with the calm of an insane man. But the scariest thing was where his eyes had settled.

On her.

The former trainee-shinigami shivered under his greedy watch, stepping further away from the large dais. He smiled amusedly at the action and rose calmly from his throne.

"Welcome to Las Noches, Higurashi Kagome."

Kagome's eyes grew wide with shock when he used her full name. "H-how do you know my name?" She mentally kicked herself for stuttering in front of the enemy.

He only simpered wider, "I make a point to know everything about something that involves me."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously at that comment. 'Who does this guy think he is?' The smug man sneered as though he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"I seem to have forgotten my manners," He said loftily. "My name is Sōsuke Aizen. It is a pleasure to have you here."

Kagome snorted, "The pleasure is all yours, I'm afraid."

"Well, then we'll have to do something about that, now won't we?" Aizen mysteriously intoned. "Gin."

Gin grinned with closed lips and stepped forward from the large door. "Yes, Aizen-sama?"

"Take our special guest here and take her to her room."

"Sure thing. Kagome-chan, come here." The former 3rd Division Taicho beckoned to her with a bent finger. Kagome seemed to hesitate for a second before reluctantly following after him. The duo slipped quietly out of the entrance, Aizen smiling after them the whole way. As the door closed shut, his expression turned sinister and he sat himself back down on his seat of sovereignty. He chuckled darkly and took a sip from red wine glass filled with Domain de la Croix Jacquelet.

'Soon, you'll be doing everything I need you to do...'

* * *

A/N: And there ya have it. More Gin goodiness :D

Mini-chapter I suppose. Not much long than 1,100 words for the story, not including the A/Ns. But that just means that I'll update with chapter 8 soon! :D

I'm expecting to see at least 5 reviews. I got 5 for chapter 6, so I'm happy with that one.

I have my poll up! Please check it out on my home page :D

Hasta luego, my dear readers! See you guys in chapter 8!

**Amaroq32:** Ok, so I came up with a list as to what the characters are like right now: Toshiro is heart broken and is in turmoil, Gin is a stalker, Aizen is being creepy Aizen, and Kagome is heart broken and in a Wtf? moment.

As usual, review please, it inspires orange to write, and to not bug me about people just favoriting the story and not reviewing.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Oh? Is this chapter 8 I see? It is! :D

We are moving through this story like Usain Bolt running the 100 m. dash! And that's fine with me... .

Last chapter was short. This chapter may be a bit longer, I really don't know. This story seems to write itself most of the time! :P I love this chapter's poem from Tite Kubo... It really describes how Gin and Kagome are right now.

Anyone going to the Distant Worlds Concert in Chicago? If so... Take me! D: I really wanna go...

Okay, presenting chapter ocho!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing but the plot, and if possible, a few OC's I'll come up with along the way.

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 8

Un Residente Nuevo

"Talking"

'Thinking'

* * *

_"Your shadow, quietly_

_Like a vagrant poison needle,_

_stitches my footsteps_

_Your radiance, lithely_

_Like lightning striking a water tower_

_Cuts down the source of my life."_

Kagome quietly trailed after Gin, thinking on how disturbing just talking to Aizen was. "His voice was like a knife... sheathed with charm, yet still so sharp like a rose's thorn." She shuddered when she remembered his eerie gaze on her throughout the whole ordeal. "He's on par with Naraku... If not worse." She hated to think that there could be someone worse than Naraku out there.

"Who's Naraku?"

The miko jumped in fright and suppressed a scream when she heard and felt his voice breeze past the shell of her ear. 'Crap... I was thinking that aloud? What else did he hear?'

Gin merely looked amused and highly curious like a fox, "Nice analogy of Aizen's voice, too. Maybe you should try out ta be a poet?"

Kagome's eyes looked horrified as she listened to him continue on. 'Must not think aloud... Must not think aloud anymore...' He smirked and walked to stand in front of her.

"Ya didn't answer my question, Kagome-chan. Who is this Naraku?"

Her eyes narrowed in thought and debate before she grabbed the sleeve of Gin's white robe and pulled him after her. "This isn't the place to talk about these kinds of things. Just tell me which room is mine."

His smirk dropped into a frown in surprise at being dragged away by the girl who was supposed to fear him. They passed by a few glossy black doors before he abruptly stopped, pulling a mildly shocked Kagome back to him.

"This one."

Kagome nodded and led her and Ichimaru into the rather empty room. A long, thin and glassless window sat in the bare wall, casting a pale white glow into the dim room. Sparse, but comfortable-looking furnishings were supplied as well. A small, silver, circular table was arranged near the entrance with some food and porcelain cups and plates on a tray resting on top.

She moved towards one of the white couches and sat, feeling a little weird with Gin in the room with her. She nodded her head at a sofa adjacent to hers and he calmly made himself comfortable on it. An awkward silence ensued as he patiently waited for her to start explaining. The time-traveler cleared her throat suddenly and he sat forward in anticipation.

"Naraku is... an evil, evil man- no, half demon. He wants to rule the world as most villains want to, but most of all, he wants to get rid of his other half; his human half." Kagome started.

Gin frowned in thought while his eyes opened to reveal stunningly electric blue eyes. The miko was entranced by his azul orbs, having thought that he always squinted his eyes. She snapped out of it before he could catch her staring, however, and briefly recollected her train of thought.

"Um, well, he's in the past now...so I don't think that he'll be a problem. No need to worry!" She exclaimed, waving her arms in front of her face.

He smirked softly at her actions and leaned back while crossing his arms behind his silver-haired head.

"If ya say so, Kagome-chan." Gin stretched his arms languidly before getting himself up. Slowly, yet serenely, he made his way over to stand in front of her. Kagome's eyes widened and she scooched farther back into the sofa. He grinned at that and crouched down to her level, leaning forward until he was directly overhead of her, casting a dark shadow over her slightly shaking body. She trembled all the more as he gradually loomed closer and closer to her petite face, but she couldn't bring herself to move as desperately as she desired to. Suddenly he stopped, only a centimeter's breath away.

"Gotcha."

As quickly as he was on top of her, he was gone by the doorway. The former 3rd Division Taicho leered at her shivering form on the soft couch as he rested his weight on the door frame. "Why, don't look like that, lil' miko. I'll be returning soon enough, so you won't hafta worry."

Kagome scowled at his form and promptly turned her back to him, not allowing him to see the slight fear she held in her eyes. "Hmph. The one who will be doing the worrying will be you! I won't even think about you."

He gasped dramatically and clutched his hand over his heart. "Why, Kagome-chan, ya wound me! Here I thought I gave ya something ta think about for a while. Mayhaps I need ta give ya somethin' more...?"

Kagome's eyes enlarged with fright and she quickly yelled out, _"No!"_

Gin chuckled amusedly at her outburst and leisurely made his way out of the door, hands up in an innocent manner. "Oh, simmer down. I'm just teasin' ya." He winked at the last part and swiftly he disappeared.

Kagome groaned into a nearby pillow and slowly beat her head into the cushion. 'Why, why, why, why, why, _me?' _Her noggin hit the pillow rhythmically every time she thought 'why' until 'me', which she furiously slammed her head into the poor, abused piece of stuffed cloth. Her body became limp as she gave up on killing the cushion. She rolled over onto her side and stared emptily out the lone window, her eyes taking in the reversed, round moon.

"None of this was supposed to happen..." She thought aloud with a tired sigh. "Why does this kind of stuff always happen to me? I don't deserve it..."

"You're right, ya don't deserve it. Maybe you should fight back, Kagome-chan."

Said ex-trainee shinigami sighed once more before turning to face him with cool eyes. "What do you want? What do you honestly, truly want?"

Gin's mouth lowered in thought as he pondered on her question. His pale face lit up with suddenly, and she knew he had decided. "Do ya really wanna know what I genuinely desire?" His sky blue eyes were showing again, revealing his true emotions.

To say Kagome was mildly surprised was an understatement. She was shocked to see the heaviness and depth of the emotions in his eyes. Sadness, grief, loss, curiosity, and the beginnings of an unknown emotion to her. She didn't dare discern the last one. "U-un, I do. Please, tell me."

Tepid surprise registered in his blue orbs at her answer and he tilted his head to the left, his trademark smirk appearing. "I think it's too soon to tell ya. Wouldn't wanna spoil my little secret, now would I?"

Kagome gave him the stink-eye for his ambiguous reply. "You can be a royal spoilsport, ya know that?"

Ichimaru just simpered wider and tousled the hair at the top of her head. "I think ya need ta rest, Kagome-chan. It's been a long day."

She started to protest, but he rapidly poked her firmly in the middle of her forehead. Her eyes rolled up and she collapsed against the couch. Gin picked her up gently in his arms and moved her to her bed. Almost tenderly, he tucked her in and pulled the sheet up and over her sleeping form. He smoothed her hair back and freely twirled a lock of her raven hair in-between his long fingers.

"I think you'll know what I want soon, sweet lil' Kagome."

The door closed softly as he left, leaving nothing untouched by his presence.

* * *

A/N: Yay! Chapter 8! Another mini-chapter! :P

Really, the reason why I updated so fast was because of a certain reviewer, Kagome pairing. Thanks for such a great review!

Anyways, you know the drill :P 5 reviews are expected!

Hasta next chapter!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: We really are on a roll here... :P Which means that chapter 10 is right around the corner!

Another review marker broken! Over 40! Yay! To celebrate, I will end my flaming rampage of mini chapters that I know you all hate so much yet at the same time love since I update faster that way.

I know that we'll reach 50 soon! If not on this chapter! I will be so happy then... halfway to 100... *Eyes ogle/shine*

So, yeah. I'd now like to thank all of my reviewers from Chapter 1 and onwards so far. Including you Amaroq, and my wonderful beta, honohime!

Thank you all: honohime, sousie, amaroq32, icewolves, blackdove1265, Cosmic-lover, michi, Tempest 78, A Trapped Eternity of Shadow, Lady Nefertari, Sin of the Fallen, Harteramo, , LordFluffysgirl, Tenshi 'Gome, Mysstik Quill, animeluv12, Valleygoat, animemangalover13, lonesoul, Kagome pairing, Tigeresssa, and lugiagirl98.

Whew, that's a lot! :P I'm done now, so here's chapter nueve!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing but the plot, and if possible, a few OC's I'll come up with along the way.

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 9

The Verdict

"Talking"

'Thinking'

* * *

_"I can't protect you without holding a sword._

_I can't embrace you while holding a sword."_

Toshiro toiled away his days in apathetic numbness as the newly appointed Central 46 decided on the fate of Higurashi Kagome, the "traitor". He so desperately wanted to argue that she was no traitor, seeing as she was literally forced to go with Ichimaru because of the threats to the safety of her friends. True that she really should have thought deeply and realized that they were in the past and should already be dead, but in that kind of situation, your frontal lobe really shut down.

Slowly the days dwindled to spring as winter's frost passed. The day of the verdict would be on the spring equinox, or more specifically, today. Once the Central 46 decided on something, there could be no changes. None. Not even vouches from multiple Captains could sway the final judgment.

Toshiro lay on his bed, hands covering his face tightly while wishing deeply for the outcome to be good. _He_ wanted to be the one to lead a search and rescue mission in Hueco Mundo for her. After all, no one else knew her as well as him, right? Being her mentor everyday should have made him one of the closest, if not _the _closest person to her. Sure, they had their days when they would be tense and nothing much was said between them, but still, they were pretty close.

Softly and silently, a black Jigokuchō fluttered into his room slowly and hovered patiently around him, waiting for him to extend his hand. The wintery Taicho sighed and let one of the hands covering his face move to rest near the butterfly with the pointer finger extended. Serenely, the Hell Butterfly landed on his finger and he was instantly filled with the voice of Captain-General Yamamoto as he summoned the captains to the First Court Guard Squad's Headquarters. He sat up instantly after the message and was off flash stepping to the appointed place.

As Hitsugaya was flickering from rooftop to rooftop, he kept chanting a quick mantra in his head. 'Outcome be good, outcome be good, outcome be good...' When he neared closer to the large edifice, he saw other captains with the same dark look as on his face. It seemed that they all wanted the result to be favorable. He got a sense of anticipation as he entered the building, seeing the Sōtaichō at the front. All captains lined up in two parallel rows facing the center. Yamamoto peered at the crowd with old, wizened eyes and cleared his throat to begin.

"As you all know, Higurashi Kagome, former trainee-shinigami, has betrayed Soul Society by willingly absconding with the former 3rd Court Guard Squad Captain, Ichimaru Gin." He once more gazed around to make sure that everyone was listening. Everyone's eyes were focused on him. "The decision of her fate was left to the new Central 46. After 5 days, they have come to an agreement, and this is their adjudication."

Toshiro's palms were clamming up with nervousness as the answer to his prayers was about to be announced. 'By my Zanpakuto the final decision had better be good or else heads will roll...' The Head Captain gave a dramatic, pregnant pause for everyone to become a little anxious. Byakuya merely rolled his eyes at his attempt to make the captains tense, being the emotionless man he is.

"The verdict is..."

* * *

Kagome swung her legs leisurely from the edge from which she was seated- more importantly, the edge of the top of the _palace _from which she was seated. She sighed in weariness from seeing the scene that greeted her every day of the morning. Hueco Mundo. A desert hell with no colors whatsoever besides black and white and all the grays in between. The gentle, pallor light from the oddly reversed moon was her only solace and even that was twisted by reality here.

"What are ya doin' out here all on your lonesome, Kagome-chan? Ya seem ta be a little down."

Even his voice didn't get a rise out of her anymore. It was just something she'd gotten used to hearing. Still facing the desolate landscape, she merely sat there, staring out with misery-filled ocean blue eyes. "What do you care?" She inquired coolly. "It's not like you really like me."

Gin tilted his head to the side, silver bangs swinging freely to the left. "I wouldn't say that, lil' miko. Contrary to your belief, I actually do find ya interestin'."

Kagome sighed wearily and pulled up her knees, resting her raven-haired head on the kneecaps. "That's what you say. How can I really know that it's what you mean?" She crossed her pale arms around her bent legs and looked off to the side.

"Hmm... That's a good question." His trademark smirk appeared, though she could not see it. "I guess you'll just hafta trust me."

The miko snorted in disbelief at his answer and turned to glare at his sneering face. "Yeah, in a thousand years! Even then, I still won't trust you!"

Looking almost hurt, Ichimaru moved to sit beside her on the edge of the white roof. "Why, that's a blow ta the heart. Ya don't really mean that, right Kagome-chan?"

Said captive merely glanced at his kicked-puppy face and promptly 'hmphed,' not wanting to give in. She never expected his expression to be that good... "I don't know. I guess you'll just have to wait a whole thousand years. Too bad for you," She shrugged nonchalantly, and started to get up. Abruptly her wrist was grabbed by a slender hand, making her shiver involuntarily.

"Leavin' so soon? I just got here after all."

Kagome scowled at his offhand question and tugged at her arm. She growled in frustration when he wouldn't let go of it. "Let me go!" Tug. Tug. _Hard _tug. "I said, _let me go_!" Her eyes widened in shock when he let go of her arm, realizing just where she had been standing. Fear encroached in her heart while adrenaline coursed quickly through her veins as she waved her arms helplessly in the air, her single foot keeping her grounded wavering dangerously on the edge. A scream ripped out from her throat as she finally fell over the edge. Eyes watering profusely with her back facing towards the sand-covered ground, she clutched her hands together and screeched as loudly as she could.

"Help! _Heeeeeelp_!"

The land swiftly drew closer to her falling body and she squeezed her eyes shut in fear.

'I don't wanna die... There's too much I have left to do!'

"Then don't hesitate. Let your instincts take over."

Kagome opened her eyes in shock at the unfamiliar feminine voice. She gasped as she look around to take in her surroundings. She was back in her inner world. Softly swaying long strands of grass greeted her along with the old sakura tree. She kept gazing around in wonderment. Her eyes passed the drop-off, the tree, the large Ferruginous Hawk perched calmly on a branch, the- wait, the large Ferruginous Hawk? Her poor eyes nearly popped out of her sockets with the amount of shock she was experiencing. The russet-colored hawk merely tilted its head to the right and screeched softly.

"Don't act so surprised. It's about time you were able to see me." The bird sniffed haughtily.

The miko's eye twitched in irritation.

"After all, you've had me for what- 6 months? Let's go, I need you to say my name!"

Now her eye was twitching sporadically. She slammed her hands on the ground and leaned forward on her knees. "Stop bossing me around! I'll do whatever I want!"

The hawk's sharp eyes grew dark at her outburst and it ruffled its feathers to make itself look more domineering. "This is no time to act like a selfish two-year old. Either you say my name, or you die. I hope you haven't forgotten the situation you happen to be in at this moment?"

Suddenly Kagome was plummeting towards the ground again, and her screaming resumed. The Ferruginous Hawk from before was diving next to her, looking ever the predator it is. But it was in a... ghostly form?

"Say my name!"

"How can I say your name if I don't even know it in the first place?" Kagome cried out hysterically as the ground grew larger and larger.

The large bird of prey rolled its stormy grey eyes and proceeded to shout demandingly, "My name is-!"

The miko's eyes furrowed as the name seemed to be blurred out by a rather random howling wind. "What did you say? I can't hear your name!"

The hawk shut its eyes tightly in irritation and snapped out, "Listen! Actually listen! Don't just hear, that won't get you anywhere! My name is...!"

The world seemed to slow and Kagome's hearing seemed to become insulated. Her deep blue eyes narrowed and became shadowed as she drew out her zanpakuto unconsciously. Her dry, pink lips parted as she whispered her sword's name commandingly.

"Soar into the everlasting blue... Amami!"

* * *

"The verdict is..." Captain-General Yamamoto drew out rather slowly. Irritation grew amongst the captains as they grew impatient.

"Higurashi Kagome is found guilty of treason by betraying Soul Society as a whole for fraternizing and fleeing with the enemy. She is to be killed upon sight. That is all." The Sōtaichō swept out of the shocked hall, captain's haori billowing with finality behind him.

Toshiro's teal eyes were wide with stupor at the unexpected result. Other captains bore the same look as him, also shocked that the Central 46 would rule something like that. Zaraki Kenpachi merely snorted in apathy and walked out of the hall calmly. Captain Kuchiki closed his eyes in slight consternation with a small sigh. Unlike Kenpachi, he flickered out of the hall with his talented Shunpo abilities.

Unohana bowed her head silently and spoke softly, "What a shame. I never would have thought that the Central 46 would rule something as cruel as that. Come, Isane."

"Hai, Taicho." The fukutaicho of the 4th Squad followed silently after her kind Captain. Kurotsuchi Mayuri was next to depart.

"Heh heh, perfect... Now I can examine her thoroughly without any objection from the Head Captain or the Central 46!" He rubbed his white-painted hands together gleefully as he grinned sadistically. "Nemu!"

"Yes, Lord Mayuri." Said lieutenant flickered away in acknowledgment of her newly appointed assignment. Kurotsuchi shuffled out of the headquarters soon after, mumbling of plans of what torture he was going to bring Kagome.

"She is none of my concern. We'll be leaving now, Iba." The animalistic Taicho slanted his predatory eyes on Tetsuzaemon and turned his wide muzzle towards the entrance. The duo marched out rather loudly, considering Captain Komamura's size.

"I say the same as Sajin," The Onmitsukidō Commander/2nd Squad Captain stiffly commented. Soon all who were left were Jūshirō, Kyoraku, and Toshiro.

Kyoraku stretched tiredly, as though he had been sleeping through the whole announcement. "Saa... What shall we do about this, my good friend?"

Jūshirō furrowed his brows in contemplation and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I say we don't allow anyone to kill her. Who's to say that Kagome went with Ichimaru completely willingly? She didn't strike me as deceitful when I saw and heard her."

"She's not. Trust me," Toshiro ground out. His ire had risen with each captain's departure as the either showed that they did not care, or wanted to kill her. The dual-zanpakuto wielding Taichos blinked in surprise at the young captain's willful statement. He looked at them both warily before stalking down the hall to the open entryway. "If any one is going to bring her back, it's me."

The two merely stared out at his retreating form with bewildered faces. "We never said we didn't trust her..."

Hitsugaya stomped unpleasantly down the streets to the 10th Squad's barracks, ready to start planning Kagome's rescue. Confused shinigami jumped out of his way as he barreled down the streets loudly.

'Don't you worry Kagome... I'll save you.'

* * *

Kagome's eyes widened as her zanpakuto transformed with a flash of sky blue light into an English sword with the same blue tint to the metal. The only thing that was different was the large, white wings on either side of the blade that acted a as a hilt.

"Sugoi..."

A loud, resounding shriek tore her from her musings and abruptly she was zooming... sideways? All movement halted and Kagome swung wildly from whatever it was that was holding onto her. She had a vague inkling that it was the same Ferruginous Hawk she had talked to before. A scream was torn from her as she was tossed backwards onto a feathery back. She felt around herself tentatively and felt gladdened to know that it was indeed the hawk. It's beady eyes glanced up at her as it softly flapped its wings elegantly. Slowly, the bird and its ward rose upwards towards the top of the palace. Kagome's sea blue eyes narrowed as Gin came into view in all his smirking glory. She jumped off boldly when they reached at least 6 feet over the roof and lightly landed on the balls of her feet. Getting up right in his grill, she poked his chest harshly in indignation.

"What the hell were you thinking? You knew I would fall!"

Gin blinked innocently and his smirk turned down into a frown. "Why Kagome-chan, I honestly didn't think you would fall! Ya could've just asked nicely for me to let go and I would've."

Kagome's face turned bright red in rage and one could swear that they saw steam blow out of her ears. "Bullshit! I asked you to let me go and you never did!"

His simper reappeared as he wagged his finger in an admonishing manner. "Ah, ah! Ya may have asked, but ya didn't ask _nicely_. There's a difference between shouting angrily and saying please, dear lil' miko."

Said former trainee-shinigami quivered with barely restrained anger and her face twisted into a deep scowl. She huffed and stomped away, earlier amazement at her achievements completely wiped away by anger. "You are so infuriating sometimes! I don't know how _anyone _could put up with it! Just go die in a hole or something!"

Gin merely watched her disappearing back with a highly amused expression. He chuckled lightly and leisurely started making his way after her down the stairs.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Kagome-chan. I'm just havin' too much fun teasin' ya."

* * *

A/N: Another chapter done! Wow! This is going by really fast! Especially with my little strategy... .

I've figured out that winging it helps write these chapters up quick and nicely. The last 3 chapters were a product of this! xD

7 pages this time! :D I hope you guys review lots cuz I spent quite a bit of time on this. 5 reviews are the minimum as always.

Oh, yeah. I got my dear beta back! Thank you so much hono-chan for all that you've done! :)

See ya next chappie!

amaroq32: Chu... I have nothing to say but, best tactic for writing is to wing it :P Also, do please review :P ( shuffles away to my anime corner for I have nothing left to say.)


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: _ Over 50 reviews! Yay! *Happy Dance* Thank you all so much!

Aaaaaaaaaaand... We are in the double digits now! *Fireworks go off* Another happy dance? Why not! *Dances again*

So... 60 reviews is the next mark... Yeah, I know we'll break it. ^^ Go team! Also, I am now going to thank all reviewers from whatever previous chapter there was from now on. *Drum Roll:

Thank you so much: Valleygoat, jillian, Cosmic-lover, Sin of the Fallen, animeluv12, demongirl2003, and Kagome pairing.

*Points at Sin of the Fallen* Your reviews crack me up xD Keep 'em coming!

*Turns and points at Cosmic-lover* I love how your personality shines through your reviews! :P

Oh, and... I have not forgotten my other story ideas! It's just... I don't wanna have to update multiple stories at a given time. That would suck, in my opinion.

ALSO! Do not forget to vote on my poll! Your opinions matter greatly! Act as if the world is on the line...

...I will remind you again about voting at the end of the story. . (amaroq32: New fact on ShadeOfOrange, hates being alone when writing XD) Yeee... Surprising, ne? I bet nobody expected that fast ball!

Random A/N over, on with chapter diez!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER**: I own nothing but the plot, and if possible, a few OC's I'll come up with along the way. I also don't own the part where Aizen meets with everyone to talk about Orihime... and Grimmjow fighting Luppi.

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 10

Hitsugaya Toshiro: Ever the Opportunist

"Talking"

'Thinking'

* * *

_"If I were rain_

_That joins sky and earth that otherwise never touch,_

_could I join two hearts as well?"_

Toshiro was elated.

No, he was experiencing... schadenfreude (1). It was bad, in terms of public morale, but he was definitely feeling a bit of it. And why, you may ask? It's only because Inoue Orihime managed to get kidnapped by Aizen at the same time as Kagome did! Questions again? Ah, yes. It so happened to be that right afterwards the advance team sent by Yamamoto was pulled back to Soul Society, and were now planning to rescue Orihime. Spirit King be damned if he wasn't in on the rescue team! It would create the perfect opportunity to rescue Kagome as well.

The young Taicho sighed and buried his head in his pale hands. 'Why must my mind take on a sudden alter ego...?' Nevertheless, all of that seemingly nonsense was true. The advance team was pulled out, Orihime was captured at the same time as Kagome, and said team is now planning a way to rescue the 'princess.' He snorted at that nickname, 'Hmph. Kagome would be more of a princess anyways...'

_Bam!_

"Taicho~!"

Toshiro groaned in annoyance and turned to snap at the object of his newly formed frustration. "Rangi-"

_Mush~_

… And promptly gave up. Toshiro scowled deeply before shoving his fukutaicho off. "What do you want, Rangiku?" He all but growled out.

Rangiku being who she is, merely brushed it off and smiled winningly. "I have good news, Hitsugaya-kun!"

He twitched at the improper use of his name, "_Hitsugaya-taicho _da!"

She waved him off once more and jumped straight to the point. "Yamamoto-Sōtaichō is holding a secret meeting about the rescue!"

Toshiro's chair scraped loudly against the wooden flooring as he stood up abruptly. "What?" He swiftly breezed past his fukutaicho and was out the door, paperwork now forgotten.

Rangiku sighed, knowing that she would be left to finish it up for him. She sat down where he previously had been and promptly had a staring contest with the stacks of evil paper. Her face brightened in a new light, however, only 5 seconds later. "I know!" She too, exited the office as quickly as her Taicho did in search of a certain duo of the 11th Squad.

"Yumichika~! Ikkakuuuuuuuuuuu~!"

Toshiro swore as he flickered hastily from rooftop to rooftop, "Kuso! Why didn't she tell me sooner?"

As the 1st Squad Headquarters drew closer and closer, his ire at being left out greatly outweighed his annoyance at Rangiku more and more. 'Why wouldn't they tell me about this?'

The doors burst open as he stomped into the grand hall. Captains stared at him in shock while he walked to stand in his usual place. He glared icily at the other captains as he passed them by. Silence took over the hall when he stood in his place.

"What? Go on with the meeting."

Yamomoto cleared his throat to get the room's occupants' attention, "I knew you would find out one way or another, Hitsugaya-taicho."

Said captain turned his frosty glare upon him, "Of course I would. However, what I would like to know is why I wasn't told a thing about this meeting."

"You know why. Don't feign ignorance, Hitsugaya." Byakuya leveled a cool gaze at Toshiro in contempt.

"He is right. Now you'd best be on your way, Hitsugaya-taicho." The Captain-general turned his heavy, disappointed stare from him in dismissal. Toshiro scowled deeply in annoyance and swept out of the silent hall. As he reached the door, the Sōtaichō's old voice rang out once more.

"Don't even think of trying to sneak to Hueco Mundo. You know what the punishment will be." The 10th Squad Captain didn't pause in his stride despite the order and continued on his way. Kyoraku-taicho chuckled at his childishness.

"He's still a kid- even with that stuck-up attitude of his."

"It's because of that that he gets himself into these situations," Yamamoto said. The perverted taicho scratched at his bearded chin thoughtfully as he looked up at the ceiling.

"Hmm... I wonder how long he'll last before he goes to her."

"Not very long..." Captain Komamura muttered under his breath. Kyoraku still managed to hear, however, and he chuckled in agreement.

Toshiro stormed into his office; completely ignoring the shocked- and drunk- idiot trio.

"Tai-"

_Slam!_

"Cho...?"

The young Taicho paced anxiously around his room, trying to think of a new plan to rescue Kagome. Ideas rushed around in his brain, some logical, some... let's just say crazy. One, however, seemed to float around in his thoughts the most. One that he would not like one bit.

* * *

Kagome sighed as she glanced at the white sandstorm blazing magically around the palace through her window. Vaguely, she wondered how it kept flowing over the large edifice like a bubble was protecting it.

"Kagome-chan!"

She sighed once more. She'd been doing that quite a bit, lately. Perhaps it was because she'd been stuck in a confined room for one week with only incessant chatting from a snaky man. Finally, she turned her gaze away from the whipping sand and onto his thin figure.

"What?" Kagome snapped harshly.

Gin smirked, completely unfazed by her rude attitude. "Why so cold all of the sudden? Here I thought we were beginning to be close buddies."

"As if," She snorted. "Now, out with what you're going to tell me."

"Awwh, how'd ya know?" He pouted; disappointed that she ruined his secret.

Kagome laughed bitterly, "It's the consequence of being in your presence for a while now."

She never noticed his eyes narrow slightly at the strange animosity coming from her. 'Hmm... lil' miko seems t'be gettin' a little resentment built up from bein' so close ta Aizen-sama. A mere side-effect from a pure soul bein' near to a soul filled with hatred...'

"Okay fine, I'll tell ya. We need t'be at Aizen-sama's other throne room for somethin' special!"

"Special? Well, it's not like I can avoid this... He'll know."

The time-traveler resignedly followed after Gin down the glossy black halls to their destination. They stepped quickly into the populated room and shut the large doors behind their backs.

"Aizen-sama," Ichimaru acknowledged.

"Gin, good to see that you brought our faithful guest. We have a surprise coming very soon... do stand here, next to me." Aizen gestured to the empty spot to the right of him.

"Gladly. Come on, Kagome-chan." Gin beckoned for Kagome to follow as he walked to the bottom of the dais. She glanced up at him in confusion as he stood there smiling. Suddenly, she squeaked as he wrapped an arm tightly around her waist and jumped easily up to the chair. Huffing in annoyance, she plopped herself down on the edge of the raised platform and scooted as far away as she could from the snaky man.

"Ah, over here, sweet lil' miko." He hooked his arm around her and pulled her to rest in front of him. She grumbled and blushed as she was practically in between his legs. 'Why me...'

The doors abruptly were pushed open and the room's occupants were immediately gazing on the shadowed duo stepping through. Ulquiorra and Yammy were the first to appear. A small, orange haired teenage girl was next to step through timidly, looking like a rabbit cornered by a grizzly bear. Aizen's eyes seemed to glow with a sick satisfaction as he looked upon the scared teenager. Kagome watched silently from where she was seated.

"Welcome to our castle: Las Noches." His voice echoed eerily around the throne room. "You're called... Inoue Orihime, correct?"

"...Yes..." The teenager shakily replied.

"Sorry to ask this of you so soon Orihime, but I want you to demonstrate your ability now." Aizen boredly stared down at her with cold eyes, seeking complete obedience.

"Y-yes..." Orihime's legs were now visibly shaking under the pressure of an unknown force.

Aizen's eyes left her form and she seemed to relax (as much as she could). He gazed around the room for a minute, before staring at the new sexto espada.

"It seems like there are still some... who are not in agreement with our new guest. Isn't that so, Luppi?"

The feminine arrancar looked positively disgruntled and pissed. "Of course... To say that our whole battle was just for the purpose of bringing that woman over here... I can't accept that!"

"My fault. I didn't expect you to get that torn up, after all." Aizen said amusedly. Luppi scowled deeply at his comment. "Now, that's right. Orihime, in order to test your abilities, I'd like you to restore Grimmjow's left arm." Said 'guest' started at the command and her eyes widened.

"Yeah, right! There's no way, Aizen-sama! His arm was immolated by Tōsen! You can't heal anything that doesn't exist anymore! The hell is she, God?" Luppi screeched. He had a half-crazy look on his androgynous face.

Hesitantly, Inoue reached her arms out hover beside where Grimmjow's arm would be.

"Sōten Kisshun, I... reject." Two portions of her left hairpin zoomed out in arcs of blue light and formed a glowing orange barrier. The former sexto espada looked down at the empty spot expectantly, and with a bit of awe. Luppi started laughing hysterically and shouted irrationally at the duo.

"Hoi! If you're trying to put on a good performance, just quit while you're ahead! If you can't do it, we'll just kill ya! Since that power of yours is just some scam, there's no reason to keep such a..." Luppi's tirade faltered as he noticed Grimmjow's arm quickly forming back. "Per...son..." His whole arm had been reformed by now, minus a few patches of skin that were soon to be there. "Wha...?"

The teal-haired espada looked down at his new arm in shock, not quite believing that it was back.

"Wha... What the.. Regeneration...? No, it's something beyond that! What the hell did that woman just do?"

Aizen stared down at the confounded arrancar in contempt, "Still don't get it? Ulquiorra reported this is a 'time reversal', or 'spatial reversal'."

"That is correct," Ulquiorra confirmed.

"No way... A human having that powerful of an ability... There's no way!" The androgynous arrancar rejected.

"But it is. However you look at it, this is pure... rejection of all phenomena."

"Wha..."

"Her ability allows her to choose a target, and subsequently limit, reject, and deny that it ever happened. No matter what event happened, she can return the target to its previous state. And that," Aizen explained patiently. "Is the 'time reversal' or 'spatial reversal', as I referred to earlier. She can easily supersede any event God has designated to occur on the ground level. This power violates God's domain."

Luppi gasped in shock at the breakdown.

Grimmjow silently flexed his arm muscles and his fingers. "... Hey, chick. Heal this, too." Orihime glanced up in acknowledgment and summoned her powers again. This time, it was aimed at a huge scar covering a patch of his lower right back. Luppi recoiled in recognition of what he was asking. The scar receded rapidly until all that was left was a large, tattooed six.

"What are you trying to pull... Grimmjow?" Luppi asked in barely controlled anger.

Grimmjow slowly turned around, "...Eeeeh?" Abruptly, he was in front of the much smaller man, arm squelching through his chest cavity.

"...Guh..." Luppi coughed up blood onto his white sleeve and stared hatefully up at his assailant. "Grimmjow, You bastard..."

Said espada fired up a cero slowly in his available hand, pointed directly at Luppi's face. "This is what I'm doing. Later, 'ex' No. Six." A huge red laser shot through, too bright to see what was happening to the obviously dead arrancar. Smoke cleared away as he stopped firing the cero to reveal Luppi's legs still standing up with nothing left above the waist. Smoke rose from the singed flesh and a rank smell invaded the room.

"...Ku..." The sexta espada cracked a grin. "_Hahahahahahaha! _It's back! All of my strength has returned! I... am the sexta! The sexta espada, Grimmjow! _Hahahahahahahaha!_"

Yammy looked away in disgust while Ulquiorra merely closed his eyes with a small sigh. Wonderweiss stared on in awe and with an air of emptiness. Orihime looked horrified by Grimmjow's actions as she stared with wide eyes. Kagome watched this all take place with an observant and calm air. Eight months ago, she may have acted in naïveté and gone down to stop this from happening. But that was the past her. Now, she merely stared down in apathy and slight irritability. Gin looked down at her to gauge her reaction and his eyes opened in shock to see her aloof demeanor. 'Kagome-chan really has been changing under Aizen-sama's influence...'

"Kaname."

Said dark-skinned shinigami bowed on one knee in obedience, "Hai, Aizen-sama?"

"Clean up the mess. We don't want our new guest to be disgusted by uncleanliness, now don't we?"

"Hai," Kaname replied. He jumped down from the dais to stand in front of Luppi's remains. Gin in turn grabbed Kagome once more around the waist and leapt down as well.

"Kagome," Aizen intoned. She glanced up at where he was seated in acknowledgment. "I trust you will show Orihime around her new home?" Kagome looked at him for a second in silence before turning around and gesturing for the girl to follow. All occupants exited the hall as Aizen rested his head on his fist in silent contemplation.

'Still trying to resist, I see...'

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the wait! The whole Aizen vs. Luppi vs. Grimmjow was taken from the manga, as you may or may not have noticed. I just couldn't resist... T^T

(1): Schadenfreude: Taking joy in other's misfortune.

I'm going to go to the Distant Worlds Concert in Chicago tomorrow! *Squeee!* ^w^ Would be cool to see one of my readers there! (And creepy... on my part. .) I shall tell everyone about the experience on my profile... as I don't want to take up a whole freakin' page worth of stuff on the next chapter.

Anyways, I promise that Chapter 11 will be here shortly. And as always, 5 reviews is the minimum!

And don't forget to vote on my poll! Saa… Ja mata! (ºwº)/~~~

amaroq32: Ok, while helping ShadeOfOrange, apparently I act like a mother nagging to her about the Aizen, Grimmjow, and Luppi part about disclaimers. :P Shall have to come up with something to get revenge.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: In reply to lonesoul: I never said this story would follow the storyline precisely. Let's just say that in this story, that part came after, okay? Don't sweat about the small stuff.

Thank you for reviewing: hey, Cosmic-lover, lonesoul, Kagome pairing, and Speedykitten1643.

Don't forget about the poll. Your opinion matters greatly to me! It will end 5 days after this is posted.

Here's chapter once!

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing but the plot, and if possible, a few OC's I'll come up with along the way.

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 11

A Clearheaded Moment

* * *

_"We should not shed tears_

_That is a surrender of the body to the heart_

_It is only proof_

_That we are beings that do not know_

_What to do with our hearts."_

It was only up here, she realized, that she could truly be herself again. Every sign of stress, paranoia, and tensed muscles seemed to melt away and relax. She was not the cynical self she found herself to be when she was down there. In fact, she even found herself smiling softly at the sight of her zanpakuto glowing in the moonlight. A figure slowly melted into existence to the right of her, sitting with its long legs at an angle.

"You seem to be more calm when you've got fresh air."

Kagome turned with a sheepish smile gracing her looks, "You think so?" She paused for a moment before spinning to look at the reversed moon. "I think so too. I don't feel that man's pressure nearly as much as when I'm sitting here."

The womanly confidant also basked in the sole source of light in the desolate world. "I agree. Actually, I would venture to say that this place-"

Soft words drifted up to the unintentionally eavesdropping ears of the two. Kagome's eyes widened comically as she bent down to listen.

"...That girl...like she's...I swear..."

"I know! She's acting like-"

"Shhh! Speak quietly!" The first voice whispered out harshly before turning down too low for the miko to catch the rest of what she was going to say.

Said captive caught the eye of her zanpakuto and nodded in silent agreement. Her companion's body diffused into that of a hawk's in a flow of brilliant blue-brown feathers, and leaped from the roof and took flight into a nearby tree, resting once she landed. Kagome sat patiently for her to come back with the scoop on information. Amami cocked her head to the left, then to the right. After a moment or two, she bent her long wings upward and gave a powerful thrust down. She power-flapped gracefully back up to where Kagome was positioned, settling on her shoulder with a soft screech.

"What did you gather, Amami?"

Said Ferruginous Hawk snorted in contempt, ruffling her feathers softly. "They were merely petty girls jealous of something only they believe is real."

Kagome scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion as she pondered over the vague answer from her zanpakuto. What could she mean? "Jealous of what?"

"You."

If the miko looked confused before, she certainly was now. "Me? Why?"

Amami deadpanned a look that clearly meant, 'Are you that stupid?'. "Well, it's obviously because of how close you and Gin seem to be."

Kagome adopted a look of absolute horror at the implications of that sentence. "What? Who would want to be close with that snaky man? There's nothing good about him! In fact, he's super creepy! He never leaves me alone!"

Of course, that said "snaky" man chose this wonderful moment to appear from the staircase with a look of complete innocence.

'Speak of the devil and he doth appear...' Ran through the duo's minds as the glanced at each other warily. Gin stopped before them with a facetious face of childlike curiosity. 'That little snooping insidious bastard! I will slap that credulous look right off his face!' Kagome thought with reckless abandon. 'Ooooh, if only he had beads of subjugation around his neck! I would sit him straight to hell! Wait... isn't this already hell? Oh, whatever!'

"Why, who were ya talking about, Kagome-chan?"

"You know who I was talking about! Don't act so innocent around me! I see that little smirk behind your mask of ignorance!" By now, Kagome was going off on a tirade, stomping her feet angrily at Gin. He merely looked amused at her childish actions and stepped closer to her.

"I'm afraid I don't. Mind telling me?"

The time-traveler looked helplessly to her zanpakuto to save her from the embarrassment of lying. 'Not lying, only tweaking the truth...' She thought sneakily.

"She can't tell you. It's a secret between us, right Kagome?" Amami lamely said.

"Right! So, shoo! Go back to whatever dark hole you came from!" Kagome made little sweeping motions with her small hands as she started pushing him back to the stairwell. "See ya later! I'll come down... soon!" She slammed the door shut on his face and dusted imaginary dirt off on her pants. "I say that's a job well done."

Amami stared back at her, nonplussed. "I've never seen you do that before to him. Did you get a sudden burst of boldness?"

Kagome shot an irritated glance at her before she sat back down on the ledge. "No, he just needed to get out, and I _wanted _him _out_!"

"Sure you did..."

"You know what, Amami? You can crawl back to your hole too."

* * *

Deep in in the heart of a forest, a group of travelers sat before a scarred tree. One of the group twitched his odd dog ears on top of his silver-haired head.

"Listen guys... I'll go check up on her mother to see if she knows where Kagome went." The animalistic human looked incredibly guilty while he spoke.

The woman strapped with an extremely large boomerang nodded in her assent, "That's a good idea. After all, she has been gone for a whole week now... Usually she's completely calmed down after 5 days. I hope she's fine..." She started to wring her hands before a beaded hand rested gently on top of them, calming their frantic movements.

"I'm sure she is. This is Kagome-chan we're talking about, right? She's faced hundreds of demons; shouldn't that mean something?" The third of the group, donning purple priest robes and prayer beads, said comfortingly.

"It's all your fault Inu-baka! If you hadn't yelled at Kagome for worrying about Kouga, then this would've never happened!" A small kitsune kit with rust colored hair jumped up onto the dog-eared man and pummeled him with tiny fists.

"Shuddap. I know what I did. Don't remind me about that." Said man picked up the small child and lobbed him 'gently' at the only woman of the group. The kit whimpered and sobbed noisily into her shirt. She whispered tranquil words of comfort to him.

"InuYasha... Be more kind to Shippo. The boy is just missing his only mother figure." The monk tried to reason with the gruff man.

InuYasha snorted before turning to walk off into the woods, "Whatever, Miroku. Sango, keep an eye on the brat and the village while I'm gone. Naraku may choose to attack early." Leaving those ominous words hanging in the air, he leaped into the brush, melting away into the dark surroundings.

* * *

A/N: After a long wait-ish, it's here! Sorry about the shortness of it. I just couldn't find it in me to write a whole lot...

And we learn a little bit about what's happenin' with the inu-tachi! Yay... *Fail Final Fantasy Victory Theme*

Anyways, minimum 5 reviews as always. Thanks for reading!

P.S: amaroq32 was away for almost all of this.

P.P.S: Don't forget to vote on my poll! Your opinion will factor greatly on my next story!

Thanks for editing, honohime! :D


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Over 60 reviews, yeah! Oo-ah, oo-ah! Oo-ah, oo-ah! *Does ridiculous dance that consists of shrugging arms in a circle and swaying hips* For this reason, I will make this chapter longer! (ish)

Ahem. That done, I shall get down to the real business...

POLL RESULTS! Yay. Look down thither.

BLEACH WON! Woot.

Bleach-6

Naruto-5

I have decided...while I was reading my Shugo Chara books... I will actually try hard this school year! Hya, hya!

Good news! I will most likely be getting a PSP and Birth By Sleep! *Does Napoleon Dynamite "Yessssss..."*

Very random A/N over, on with chapter doce!

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing but the plot, and if possible, a few OC's I'll come up with along the way. I also do not own any of Ulquiorra/Orihime's lines when they are talking with each other.

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 12

Competition

* * *

_"Those, who do not know what love is_

_Liken it to beauty_

_Those, who claim to know what love is_

_Liken it to ugliness."_

Gin hummed to himself softly as he strolled down the halls to his favorite person's room. 'Hm... Wonder what Kagome-chan is up to today... Especially after yesterday." He chuckled as he reminisced on the scene on the roof. 'She was awfully bold. I wonder...' He paused in front of her door and thought for a moment before abruptly breezing into her room with his signature smirk. "Kago-"

A frown marred his normally facetious face as he took into account that 'Kagome-chan' was not where she was supposed to be (1). His head poked out of the doorway as he peeked around the empty corridor. 'Not out here either... Time for a round of 'Let's Find Kagome-chan!'"

Gin zipped around the halls as he calmly searched for the object of his intentions. 'There!' However, his eyes narrowed narrowed at an unwelcome sight- _very _unwelcome sight- that made his insides practically boil with unadulterated hatred.

Kagome sneezed viciously as she walked the halls with Ulquiorra.

"Salud."

She looked up at the stoic espada in confusion at his intonation. "Salud? What?"

"It's the spanish equivalent of odaiji ni," He explained stiffly.

The miko blinked owlishly at that and immediately felt dumb. "Oh." She pondered over spanish to japanese translations, failing to notice Ulquiorra stop in front a door. "Oof," She rubbed her poor nose in an attempt to lessen the pain as he looked at her like she was a clumsy delinquent.

"We're here."

She scowled at his aloofness and turned her red nose up in the air, "Well, duh, Captain Obvious."

He merely raised an onyx brow at her childishness before pushing the door open. Kagome peered from behind his back to see the new 'guest.' The girl turned from staring at the odd moon to them with wide eyes. Ulquiorra shifted his eerie green orbs to her hand clenching tightly to her arm. "Seems like you've somehow become aware. That idiot, Nnoitora, strayed from the rest of the group. Despite the fact that he was explicitly told to wait in his own domain..."

"...Sado-kun isn't dead." The girl's voice wavered before strengthening her conviction. "He isn't dead."

Ulquiorra spared her a glance before turning to the door, "Enter." A caterer came in with a cart of food and Kagome blinked in surprise. How had she not noticed them behind her?

"Here is your meal. Eat."

"... I don't need it."

"You know, it's part of your duty to stay alive until Aizen-sama calls upon you. Eat!"

Kagome sighed and facepalmed herself, "You're doing it all wrong! God, you can be such an idiot... I'll handle this."

"Fine," He turned to the miko and pushed her forward gently- at least, gently for him... "Make her eat," He said as he turned back with the silent caterer and shut the door, leaving the two alone and feeling awkward.

Kagome stuck her tongue out at the door and shuffled over to the couch, plopping down on it with a sigh. "Well, you heard Mr. Emo. Might as well get in a few bites before it gets cold." The captive hesitated before nodding, taking some of the meal. Kagome tried to smile kindly at the scared looking girl while she gestured for her to sit on the loveseat across from her. "It's okay, I won't bite." The auburn-haired girl seemed to take comfort in that single sentence and hesitantly sat in the chair.

"Ano... Who are you?"

The time-traveler giggled lightly at her meekness, "I'm Higurashi Kagome. It's a pleasure to meet you." She stood and supplemented a customary bow before sitting once more. "And you?"

"My name is Inoue Orihime. The pleasure is all mine." She reciprocated Kagome's actions and seemed to relax into a friendlier attitude. "So, um... are you an arrancar too?" She inquired, fidgeting slightly. Kagome laughed at her question, not sure how she came to that conclusion and also at the irony of it.

"Oh, no, no, no! I'm a captive- just like you." Kagome corrected. She watched with amusement in her eyes as Orihime's widened in shock.

"But... you seemed so free by Aizen when I first arrived!"

The miko chuckled bitterly at that memory, "I wasn't myself. Right now, this is what the real me is like. However, the more time I spend inside here, the more I start to become dark and cynical like you saw before. I believe that this is because of Aizen's influence; It's very strong here." Kagome sighed, resting her head in her hands. "I can only hope that this won't happen to you as well."

The auburn-haired girl seemed genuinely surprised at this new onslaught of info, but quickly recovered. "I see. When did you start to feel different?"

"Hmm..." Kagome paused and thought for a moment as she speculated back to when she first came. "I think about a week and a half after. When you start to feel these changes, come down to my room and I'll take you to my secret spot." She grinned at the only other occupant of the room in an attempt to alleviate the serious atmosphere that formed.

"I'll do that," Orihime replied in earnest with a smile of her own.

"Good," Kagome nodded. She noticed that Orihime had finished eating and came up with an amazing idea. "Now, shall we take a somewhat crappy tour of Las Noches?" The slightly taller of the two grinned in response and got up to follow the miko to the hall. The duo stepped out into the corridor and strolled along with Kagome pointing out random points of interest. Neither seemed to notice the halls shifting minutely as they were so engrossed in conversing with each other.

A pale hand brushed against a glass surface, dragging it in a rectangular pattern to its owner's liking. Red lines lit up over blue before fluctuating as directed. The man grinned in anticipation as he turned to and open door and waited.

"... So I turn around from talking with my zanpakuto and there he is!" Indeed there he was, for the speaker stopped in the doorway, mouth gaping and finger pointing accusingly at said subject. "You!"

Gin got up, smirking madly as he drew closer and closer to the angry black-haired time-traveler. "Yes, me. Who else did ya expect?" He sidled right up into her personal space bubble and rested his thin hand on her flushed cheek. "Hm? Why is your face so red, Kagome-chan?"

Kagome's face grew more red- if that was possible. "Damare!" She made to twist his arm behind his back, but he had disappeared to the door on the other side of the room.

"Bye, bye!" Gin waved with a grin, vanishing out the doorway.

"Get back here!" The time-traveler stomped her foot before flickering after him for revenge. Orihime stood there, blinking with wide eyes, wondering how she would get back to her room.

* * *

Toshiro rested his head on a stack of papers, scrunching his white hair up in his small hands. He sighed and turned to face the pouring rain outside his window. Thoughts of Kagome invaded his stressed mind. 'How could I have possibly fallen for this slip of a girl? And so fast, too?' His icy heart ached at the memory of watching falling snow with her. 'I can't do anything to save her... We have to get ready to protect Karakura Town. Ever since we got pulled out, arrancar attacks have been lulled. He's getting ready...'

"Taicho!" Rangiku burst into the room panting. "The team to go to Hueco Mundo has been sent!"

The young captain stood up at this and raced out the door with Rangiku close behind. "How long ago?"

"They were just sent. We need to prepare for Aizen to invade the fake Karakura town!"

He nodded at that as they continued on to the where the remaining captains were to meet up. 'Stay safe, Kagome...'

* * *

A certain silver-haired hanyou leaped out from an old well, slamming the door shut behind him as he left the well house. He stopped as he smelt the scent of old blood, but not just any blood- Kagome's blood. "Shit!" His eyes grew wide with fear at the next sight that awaited him. He choked down his vomit as he looked on at Kagome's badly decomposed body, flies buzzing busily around and in it. He had never been bothered this much by death before in his whole life.

For the sake of her body's honor, he took a lighter and gas from inside the empty house and burned the remains. A tear escaped his eye and trailed down his face as he watched the flames greedily lick up what was left of her. InuYasha jumped up into the god tree and sat vigil there for her for the rest of the night, staring up at the stars silently as though he was searching for answers.

'I swear I will avenge you, Kagome.'

* * *

A/N: Yay... Somber endings, ftw?

(1): Oh, that soooo reminded me of the verse, "Please don't bother tryin' to find her, she's not thereeeee!" from _She's Not There _by _The Zombies._

Anyways... I'll admit... I am a little (very) happy that Bleach won. Can anyone guess who she's paired up with? I wonder... People who guess correctly get a cookie!

You know the drill, so hit me up with those reviews! *Baits with free gobstoppers*

Thanks for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Wheee, almost 70 reviews~ ^^ Keep 'em coming!

You guys have been so kind to me, sticking through this little fic of mine. :) I actually think that we may be... 3/5 done with this story? Of course, that's just an estimation.

Whew... back from an anger run. That really cools my head down. Though I couldn't get very far because it was really hot and humid out and dark.

And...the plot thickens again! Yay! *Confetti bursts*

P.S: The poem for this chapter may or may not have any relevance to this chapter, being that I only chose it because it was the poem for volume 35- which I just read.

Here's chapter juusan! (I'm switching to Japanese now ^^)

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing but the plot, and if possible, a few OC's I'll come up with along the way. Also, I don't own one of Ichigo's lines.

**Disastrous Meeting**

Chapter 13

Under His Belt

* * *

_"Born and then fall_

_Is the same as death."_

_Clang! Clank! Clang! Shluk!_

The faraway sounds of vicious fighting floated into Kagome's ears, catching her attention. She turned from chasing Gin to look curiously out a nearby window. Small black specks on the horizon line greeted her as she looked on. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to make out who was fighting who. 'I sense the fifth espada, Nnoitora, but I'm not sure who the other is... I know I've felt that aura before!' A light bulb appeared above her head as she remembered back to when she had passed out before the eleventh squad headquarters. 'I knew it! It's that psycho taicho!'

She silently called on the power of her zanpakuto and Amami soon appeared beside her in her hawk form.

"You called?"

Kagome smiled at her aloofness, "Would you mind flying us over there to take a little peek? I really wanna see the fight!"

Amami rolled her pale blue eyes at her childishness before stooping down, "Fine. Hop on."

The miko mentally cheered as she made herself comfortable on the feathery back of her zanpakuto. She wobbled a little, though, as the Ferruginous Hawk smoothly shot out of the large window out into the bland desert. As the figures became more distinct to her, she couldn't help but gasp at the variety of people there. 'A man with orange hair, a little girl with pink hair, Nnoitora, Psycho-taicho... a toddler with green hair?' She blinked at the oddity of it, but frowned soon after at the last person. 'Orihime? What's she doing there?'

Kagome leaped from the bird right before they passed over Orihime and landed gracefully beside the shocked girl- after a few front flips of course. "Hey... mind telling me what you're doing here?"

"Ano..." The auburn-haired girl smiled sheepishly at the frowning miko as she desperately tried to come up with an excuse. "Kurosaki-kun rescued me and brought me here. What are you doing here?"

Kagome snorted at her attempt to steer the topic away from herself, but went along with it anyway. "I'm here because those two idiots over there are blatantly fighting out in the open while releasing large amounts of reiatsu." Her reply went unheard, however, as Orihime rushed forward to the calming fight, the orange-haired guy protesting uselessly in the background.

"H-hoi! Get away from there Orihime!" Kagome reached out fruitlessly to grab thin air.

"Santen Kesshun!"

A triangular-shaped orange shield appeared before the small pink-haired girl in an attempt to protect her from the advancing Nnoitora. Kagome raised a brow at the utter uselessness of it as 'Psycho-taicho' got up and slashed an arm off of the fifth espada. She knew she should have resisted saying what she said next, but it just seemed so funny at the time...

"Fail."

Orihime looked slightly affronted at that and turned away from her in a pout. The time-traveler rolled her ocean-blue eyes at her sensitivity and looked over to the orange-haired dude in curiosity. "Who're you? And what's up with people and orange hair nowadays? Is it some kind of 'in' thing?"

The guy looked slightly annoyed at that and gruffly introduced himself. "Kurosaki Ichigo, and no, I was born with this hair."

"You sure about that? I've never seen a Japanese man with natural orange hair... then again, who am I to talk? I've seen it all with demons." Kagome was mumbling by now with Ichigo looking at her like she had two heads. "Anyways, it's nice to meet ya. Hopefully Psycho-taicho and Nnoitora don't take too much longer. I have a chase to get back to." Her face darkened considerably at the mere thought of that snaky man.

Ichigo laughed boisterously at her nickname for Kenpachi and had to hold his stomach while gulping in deep breaths of sweet air. It was Kagome's turn to look at him weirdly now as she watched him guffaw for seemingly no reason.

"Um... Did I say something funny? 'Cause I'm pretty sure I didn't say anything worth laughing at..."

By now his guffawing had simmered down to little escaped chuckles here and there. "Oh, it's just the nickname you came up for Kenpachi. Now _that's _classic."

The time-traveler smiled now, all traces of being weirded out by him gone. "Haha... I forget what I call people sometimes. It just kinda slipped out." Thankfully, the fight had finished as their humorous conversation drew to a close. She sighed and looked down at the deceased fifth espada with what looked like pity. "He had it coming to him. A man fighting battle after battle with no care for his own body will fall eventually. I should know..."

Ichigo looked at her with understanding in his eyes, but that quickly transformed into absolute shock when Kenpachi shattered the healing barrier surrounding him with his foot. "Whoa! What the heck?"

Kagome watched with a dumbstruck expression on her face as Kenpachi chucked Ichigo a ways away from him as though he weighed less than a feather. She completely tuned out his long speech to the orange-haired shinigami as she thought about getting back to chasing Gin. She flushed as she remembered his hand on her cheek, but soon knocked that thought out of her brain in irritation. 'Get it together, girl! He's just teasing you!' She barely noticed Orihime get taken away from their happy little group by none other than the first espada, Coyote Starrk. She sped over and just barely made it in time to catch Orihime's arm, disappearing with the other two without a trace. Of course, they left behind two very confused and shocked shinigami...

The miko quickly adjusted to her surroundings as she took in that she was inside the throne room with Orihime, Aizen, Tōsen, and... Gin?"_Gin!_" Kagome growled out his name, completely oblivious to the serious atmosphere. "So _this _is where you've been hiding! Ooh, I am gonna castrate you!" She stomped up to where he was standing, bypassing an amused and slightly shocked Aizen on the way. He had certainly not been expecting this. Only Orihime was supposed to be brought! Gin merely smiled good-naturedly at the steaming miko and waited for her to stop in front of him.

"Oh, you are so dead! First, I get sidetracked because of Psycho-taicho and Nnoitora's stupid fight, then I..."

Gin completely tuned out the rest of her anger-fueled monologue to stare at those deliciously pink lips. 'Hmm... I've got a better use for those...' His mock smile transformed into an evil smirk as he leaned in closer to the ignorant girl.

"So now- mmmf?"

Kagome's eyes were as wide as saucers as she stared unbelievably down at where they were connected. Realization hit like a ton of bricks and she gasped in shock. He took that opportune moment to deepen the kiss, prodding at her still tongue with his own. 'Is that...? _Gaaah! No!_' She stumbled back from him, dazed and slightly angry at how he took advantage of her unguarded moment. Her eyes widened at the cognizance of what this truly meant, "Hey! You just stole my first kiss, you jerk! Nobody steals it and gets away with it- especially you!"

Gin was grinning madly at the knowledge that he had her first kiss on his belt now. "My, so angry at a thing that there will be much more of. Are you sure you don't want another one? It's free~"

"No! I am absolutely sure that I do-"

She tore away faster this time, glaring heated lasers at his smug face now.

"Got another one. I'll just keep comin' back for more, so you better run, Kagome-chan." The 'snaky man' chuckled as he stuck another kiss under his belt of achievements. Oh, he would have such fun with this...

Aizen and the others stared with mouths slightly agape at the scene before them. His evil exit had been totally ruined by Gin and the little captive. How dare they!

"Gin."

He received no reply whatsoever as the two were off in their own little world now, yelling and teasing flying around the otherwise silent room.

Looks like he'd have to wait out this one... Great.

* * *

A/N: :O One chapter in less than 3 hours! Wow! That's a record.

=3 Hehe... you asked for a more romance, Kagome pairing, and you got it. I hope you're happy with that little stolen kiss! ^^

I kinda feel sorry for Aizen... he had that whole exit planned out perfectly and now Gin had to go and ruin it... Well, Gin AND Kagome. Oh well, he'll deal.

You know the drill! *Tosses cookies to crowd of readers* Review I say, review! You'll get free cookies~!

Thanks for reading!

Thanks for editing hono-chan!


	14. Revise Notice

Hallo, all.

After heave consideration, I have decided to completely revise Disastrous Meeting. This story has been nagging at me in the back of my mind constantly. After I finish the first chapter, I will post it under a new story entry: Disastrous Meeting Revised. Please be looking out for it.

Leesulah


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